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New procedures for health and social care complaints
From April 1st this year there will be a new system for complaints about health and social care.
The current system for NHS complaints is slow and rather cumbersome. It has three stages:
- Local Resolution by the provider organisation
- An independent review by the Healthcare Commission
- Referral to the Health Service Ombudsman
People complaining can receive support, advice and advocacy from the Independent Complaints and Advocacy Service (ICAS).
The new system is intended to be more streamlined, and to place more emphasis on local resolution. It will have only two stages – local resolution, and an appeal to the relevant ombudsman.
- NHS and Social Care organisations dealing with complaints will be encouraged to agree an individual timescale and approach with each complainant, and to consider the use of mediation to resolve complex cases locally.
- Where complainants are reluctant to approach the provider of the service they are unhappy with, they can complain directly to the PCT (health) or to the local authority Adult Social Services commissioner (Social Care).
- Complaints which are not resolved locally will no longer have to go through the Healthcare commission, but can be taken straight to the Health Service Ombudsman (Health) or the Local Government Ombudsman (Social Care).
- NHS and social care organisations are being encouraged to get feedback from users about their experience of care, and to use this information to improve standards.
For the last year, since April 2008, 94 NHS and social care organisations have been piloting this new system, known as ‘making experiences count’. These ‘early adopters’ are sharing their experience of good – and bad – practice in order to build up a picture of what will work best.
There is more information on the Health Service Ombudsman website, or have a look at the section on NHS Complaints on the Department of Health website.
March 16th 2009
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