NHS complaints to be investigated irrespective of claims

[Northerner]

The Department of Health has told NHS bodies they cannot ignore complaints simply because legal proceedings are under way.

The new guidance has been agreed after patients? charity Action against Medical Accidents (AvMA) threatened health secretary Jeremy Hunt with a judicial review unless it was changed.

The DoH had issued guidance in 2009 compelling NHS bodies to investigate complaints, but the wording was felt to be unclear.

In a letter to the department, AvMA said it had identified a ?significant and persistent problem? with NHS trusts halting or abandoning investigations into complaints once there was any indication that legal action is a possibility.

http://www.lawgazette.co.uk/practic...igated-irrespective-of-claims/5038295.article

 

[trophywench]

It's tricky, isn't it?

If you complain they ought to be able to be truthful, like admitting there had been mistakes and saying what they had done/were doing about that.

But of course they can't! because their professional negligence insurers would refuse to indemnify them, so if they admit liability and the patient takes em to court which would be a simple matter in that scenario, that comes out of the Gov'ts pocket.

In fact I've always thought it ruddy well should, because THEN they (Gov) would always know EXACTLY how good or bad the NHS is ! And could say, we're paying out far too much and now we are going to impose a ?1m excess unless 'mishaps' rates fall below a rate of X in the next 3 months, or something.

Because they should never never have to put their hands in that pocket unless it was a really exceptional one off - human error happens, doesn't mean there was actually negligence though - so they should be as rare as hens' teeth.

And I used to have to get quotes for that cover for Trusts - and hated doing it !