A new report published today shows that whilst more than half of GP practices are handling complaints well others are falling short, leading to lost opportunities to improve patient care.
The findings in the report are based on a review of 137 complaints about GP practices, which were investigated by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, NHS England and the Care Quality Commission. Healthwatch England also contributed a survey into patients’ experience of complaining from 31 of its local organisations.
Of the GP surgeries handling complaints well, patients reported satisfaction that their GP made complaining simple and easy, and the practice took their complaints seriously.
The report also sets out areas where GPs should improve their complaint handling, which include poor communication with patients in the course of a complaint, a failure to acknowledge mistakes or apologise when something goes wrong, and a lack of action to make sure the same thing doesn’t happen again.
The report’s key recommendations emphasise that change can only come if everyone works together and focuses on how GP practices should be supported to develop a listening and learning culture.
They include training and education for GPs and staff; help for practices so they can share learning locally from NHS England, clinical commissioning groups and local medical committees; and clarification from medical defence unions to GPs that saying sorry is not an admission of liability.
The report also commits organisations involved in the review to take action to help drive improvements in complaints handling in GP practices.
This includes commitments by:
- NHS England to continue work with Health Education England and others to ensure that complaints handlers have access to high quality training
- The Care Quality Commission to continue to investigate complaint handing as part of its inspection programme.
- Healthwatch England to continue their work to develop a complaints toolkit for local Healthwatch representatives to help suggest improvements to CCGs, GPs and Practice Managers
- Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman to produce guidance for practices on working with ombudsman
Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman Julie Mellor said:
The 31% uphold rates for GPs is lower than for other parts of the NHS, but it is still vital that GP practices are open to feedback and complaints, in order to bring all practices up to the level of the best.
'GPs are under pressure and need support to deal with complaints. We are pleased that NHS England have committed to ensuring that all practices have staff who are trained to handle complaints, which is essential to provide a good public service.
'We also want clinical commissioning groups, local medical committees and NHS England to share lessons from complaints at a local level.'
NHS England Director of Patient Experience, Dr Neil Churchill, said:
Overall public satisfaction with GPs is high, which is testament to the fantastic work GPs are doing in challenging times.
'However, in cases where feedback is negative, it’s vital that we listen and take action where necessary.
'That’s why we’ve committed to a number of actions, including providing high quality training for all complaints handlers, and we will soon be announcing a new package of support to further strengthen and invest in primary care.'
CQC Chief Inspector of General Practice, Prof Steve Field, said:
This important report highlights how complaints are an opportunity for GPs and GP surgeries to learn and to improve the quality of care that they provide.
'Patients have every right to feel listened to and reassured that what they report will be acted upon. This is what they deserve and what we look for on our inspections.'
Healthwatch England Interim Chair, Jane Mordue, said:
We know that patients understand the pressures GPs face. We also know that dealing with complaints compassionately can take time, and for many GPs across the country it is time, rather than compassion, that is in short supply. Today’s report reflects some of the challenges but also the opportunities available to improve patient care through learning from complaints.
'Patients have told local Healthwatch that when they experience poor care the first thing they’d like to hear is an apology, so it’s vital that doctors hear the message that saying ‘I’m sorry’ won’t result in legal action.
'Local Healthwatch are ready and willing to work together with GP practices across the country to help doctors, nurses and surgery staff address feedback quickly, appropriately and compassionately, to ensure that mistakes are learnt from and poor experiences aren’t repeated in the future.'
Notes to editors
- The 137 cases in the review included 50 from the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, 50 from NHS England and 37 from the Care Quality Commission.
- The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman makes final decisions on complaints which haven’t been resolved locally by the NHS in England and UK government departments and other UK public organisations.
- For more information please contact Steven Mather on 0300 061 4324 or email steven.mather@ombudsman.org.uk, or Marina Soteriou on 0300 061 4996 marina.soteriou@ombudsman.org.uk
- For out-of-hours media enquiries, please contact the duty press officer on 0300 061 4444.