NHS complaints rise
HEALTH Trusts in Wakefield have seen a rise in the number of complaints. The NHS Information Centre has released figures on the number of complaints to all hospital and community health services.
Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs Pinderfields Hospital, saw written complaints rise to 938 in 2009/10 - up from 917 during the previous year
NHS Wakefield District had 59 complaints, up from 54, and complaints about GPs services and dentists in the district rose from 325 to 340.
South West Yorkshire Partnership Foundation Trust, which runs mental health and learning disability services in the city, saw complaints fall from 104 in 0208/09 to 97 in 2009/10.
But it was Yorkshire Ambulance Service (YAS) which saw the biggest increase, up from 280 in 2008 to 742 this year.
However, ambulance bosses blamed a change in the way complaints were recorded for the increase.
Previously only formal complaints were included but last year, issues dealt with by the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) which weren't resolved within 24 hours were also taken into account.
In 2009/10 there were only 29 formal complaints, as well as 713 PALS issues.
Karen Cooper, YAS patient services manager, said: "The reality is that YAS has seen a significant decrease in the number of formal complaints in 2009/10."
Nationally, a record number of complaints were received - the highest number since annual data was first published 12 years ago.
NHS Information Centre chief executive Tim Straughan said: "This report shows the biggest annual rise in written complaints about NHS hospitals and community services for 12 years.
"However it is important to bear in mind that there has been a substantial increase in NHS activity in England over time.
"Hospital admissions increased by 28 per cent between 1998-99 and 2008-09, while GP consultations increased by an estimated 44 per cent between 1998 and 2008."
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Friday 25 May 2012
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