Information request about complaints about Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust
Thank you for your email of 28 February 2015 in which you requested information regarding the Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust (the Trust). I have responded to each of your queries below.
When was the Ombudsman first alerted that there were a catalogue of concerns with this NHS Trust?
Following clarification with you on 17 March 2015, I have taken this request to be for information about when a complaint was first lodged with the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) about the Trust.
The first complaint lodged regarding the Trust was received on 2 February 2012.
Please note however that information is only held regarding the Trust from the time of its creation in early 2012 following a merger between Norfolk and Waveney Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust and Suffolk Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust. I am unable to provide you with the date the first complaint was lodged about the former Trusts as this predates our current database system.
Between December 2009 and December 2014, how many complaints about the Trust were progressed and investigated by the PHSO?
As mentioned, the Trust came into existence in early 2012 so we can only provide you with information can only be obtained about the Trust from that time. Since 2012, 13 complaints have been investigated by PHSO.
Since December 2009, how many complaints against this Trust was upheld by the PHSO?
Since 2012, 7 investigations resulted in complaints being upheld against the Trust.
How many complaints against the Trust were never progressed into an investigation by the PHSO?
Since 2012, 149 enquiries did not result in a full investigation. Please note however, this number does not reflect the number of individual complaints that were made about the Trust, simply the number of enquiries received in relation to it. As such, this figure may include several enquiries about the same complaint, or enquiries made to the PHSO before any contact had been made with the Trust about the complaint.
I hope the information is helpful.
FOI/DP Officer
Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman