BOARD OF DIRECTORS PAPER COVER SHEET. Meeting date: 29 November 2006 Agenda item: 7.4

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1 BOARD OF DIRECTORS PAPER COVER SHEET Meeting date: 9 November 6 Agenda item: 7. Title: COMPLAINTS REPORT QUARTER 6/7 (1 July 6 3 September 6) Purpose: To update the board on the number and type of complaints received in Quarter of 6/7 and the changes made as a result of the investigation process Summary: In quarter, 7 formal written complaints were received. (A further 1 requests for loss and compensation were also received). 89% of complaints were fully responded to within working days ( working days for September), an increase from 88% in quarter 1 of this year. The trust also received 18 letters of thanks/commendation for quarter. Recommendation: For Information Prepared by: Michael Norton, Complaints Lead Presented by: Marie-Noelle Orzel, Director of Nursing & Service Improvement This report covers: (Please tick relevant box below) Healthcare Standards (CORE C1 Monitor please specify which standard) Healthcare Standards (DEV T Finance please specify which standard) Service Development Strategy Performance Management Local Delivery Plan Business Planning Assurance Framework Complaints Other (Please specify)

2 COMPLAINTS & COMMENDATIONS Quarter /6 1 July 6 to 3 September 6 Compiled by the Complaints Department for Marie-Noelle Orzel, Director of Nursing and Service Improvement. Please contact her on (139) 187 with any queries or comments. 1. Developments Information about the number of complaints received, acknowledgement responses, investigations completed within working days ( working days with effect from 1 September 6 see below), and the commendations received will now be presented using SPC charts so that any trends can be identified. This format will also be used to identify trends in the five themes we report our formal complaints against. An additional section describing the training and awareness sessions carried out for staff and the public has been added to the report. Collection and reporting of this information is required to ensure that the trust remains compliant with healthcare standard C1. Notification was received from the Department of Health during August that amendments have been made, with effect from 1 September 6, to the NHS (Complaints) Regulations. Notable amendments are that: The Trust now has working days to complete an investigation. This can be extended following prior agreement with the complainant. The Department of Health has confirmed that the day period commences on the day the complaint is received. Complainants not satisfied with our response now have up to 6 months (previously ) to refer their complaint to the Healthcare Commission.. Summary of Activity A total of 7 formal written complaints were received this quarter (77 formal written complaints last quarter and 9 in the same quarter last year). In addition to the 7 formal written complaints, the trust received 1 requests relating to Loss and Compensation claims Complaints & Compensation Claims Received Of the 7 complaints received: 39 were made directly by the patient; 3 complaints were made by relatives, and 6 complaints were made by an advocate (i.e. ICAS or solicitor), friend or MP. With 1111 patient episodes for this quarter, formal written complaints represent less than.7% of overall patient activity with the Trust. This equates to one formal written complaint for every 186 patient episodes. The number of commendations increased from 198 to 18. The ratio of commendations to complaints for this quarter is: 8:1 1

3 3. Response Rates 3.1 Complaint letters acknowledged within working days: 99% (96% last quarter, 9% in the same quarter last year) Ack' within Days 3. Response to letter of complaint completed within / working days: 89% (88% last quarter, 76% in the same quarter last year) Response in Days. Commendations Commendations received for this quarter: 18 (198 last quarter and 87 for the same quarter last year) Commendations. Face-to-face Meetings Five meetings were held this quarter ( last quarter and 6 for the same quarter last year). Current status of face-to-face meetings: all closed.

4 6. Trends and Patterns The analysis of complaints provides the Trust with a range of users views relating to the service experienced. For the second quarter this year the Trust received 7 formal written complaints. (A further 1 requests for Loss and Compensation were also received for this quarter). These 7 complaints are reviewed under the following themes: 1 related to Access and Waiting (11 in the previous quarter) 7 related to Clean Safe Place to be ( in the previous quarter) 1 related to Information, Communication and Choice (7 in the previous quarter) 13 related to Building Relationships (16 in the previous quarter) 3 related to Safe, High Quality care (39 in the previous quarter) These figures are plotted on a monthly basis as follows, to ensure any trends are identified: Access & Waiting Oct- Nov- Dec- Jan- Feb- Mar- Apr- May- Jun- Jul- Aug- Sep- Oct- Nov- Dec- Jan-6 Feb-6 Mar-6 Apr-6 May-6 Jun-6 Jul-6 Aug-6 Sep Clean, Comfortable, Safe Place Information, Communication & Choice 3

5 1 8 6 Building Relationships 1 1 Safe, High Quality Care 7. Management Actions and Reviews to Procedures A record of the number and type of complaints are routinely sent to directorate managers and matrons. They are encouraged to provide examples of changes that have been implemented, or are planned, as a result of their complaint investigation. Some of these changes are listed below: Changes implemented: A patient complained that she was not provided with continuous care from the same midwives and felt this was disruptive. As a result of the complaint, the rotation of midwives is now 6 weekly. (This appears to be working well with positive feedback from the midwives about continuity for the mothers). (Directorate of Child & Women s Health) Following a complaint received from a patient regarding communication between the Emergency Department (ED) and the West of England Eye Unit Outpatients Department (WEEU OPD), a part time Staff Grade has been appointed to work in ED to improve the communication link and hence the referrals between ED and the WEEU OPD. (Directorate of Specialist Surgery) A patient complained about an allergic reaction to the use of elastoplast administered in the Emergency Department. Following this, all staff have been reminded of the importance of ascertaining a patient s allergy status. Training has been given and posters put up in the unit to remind staff of the importance of this issue (Directorate of Critical Care) A complaint was made in respect of the time spent waiting for a particular scan. Following this, patient advised that scans are now being done on a Saturday and that extra technicians have been taken on to reduce waiting times. (Directorate of Medicine) Patient s parents complained about the procedure to insert a catheter during a routine operation. Following this complaint, family assured that this case has led to a review of catheter use during this type of procedure. (Directorate of Specialist Surgery)

6 Changes planned: Following a complaint about a drug error from a child s parents the existing drug chart in Paediatrics is to be reviewed. The current chart is inappropriate for this area and a redesign will provide more space for recording times. (Directorate of Child & Women s Health) The Emergency Medical Unit are to implement a weekly period of learning and development whereby all nursing bands will focus on the essential needs of nursing, using the essence of care standards as a benchmark for practice development. (Directorate of Medicine) On admission, staff failed to note a patient s poor eyesight, and his wife subsequently complained about this (and other issues). A sub-group of the Disability Equality Action Group, which includes patient representatives, is looking at the processes by which we can best identify and communicate an individuals requirements. A solution being investigated is the use of magnetic alert signs are to go (with the patient s consent) over the bed to raise awareness of any specific requirement. (Directorate of Medicine) A complaint was received regarding the delays experienced in the WEEU OPD. Following this, bookings for General Opthalmic clinics are now made to individual doctors within the clinic (rather than previously to the number of doctors within the clinic). This ensures that all the doctors see the appropriate number of patients and the majority of these clinics are completing on time. This is now to be rolled out to all general clinics within WEEU. (Directorate of Specialist Surgery) 8. Training and Awareness For this quarter, the complaints lead has presented complaint procedure training programmes to, in total, 18 staff. 9. Ethnicity monitoring (33%) ethnic monitoring forms were returned (% last quarter and 8% for the same quarter last year): 1 returned as White British ; three forms returned with British crossed out and marked White English; and one form returned endorsed I do not intend to provide this information.i am disgusted by your request.