Hundreds left unhappy with hospital care

According to NHS Digital, Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust (WWL) received 365 written complaints between April 2015 and March 2016.

The trust was also the only health organisation in the North West to have upheld 100 per cent of 190 complaints it resolved in the period.

A breakdown of complaints received in each quarter shows that the number drops off during the summer months of July, August and September, but rises as the winter months wear on.

The total number of complaints received dropped from 100 in the first quarter of 2015 (April to June) to 67 in the next quarter.

It then began rising again to 92 in October to December and 106 in January to March of this year. Experimental figures for the first quarter of 2016/17, from April to June show this dropped again to 98.

A WWL spokesman said: “We welcome the views of people who have experience of using our services; even if they are critical. All complaints give us an insight into what our patients think. This provides us with an opportunity to review services, if something is not working, or to improve communications if something has been misunderstood.

“For some time WWL has seen a reduction in formal complaints logged with our Patient Liaison Service, with a corresponding increase in concerns. This is seen as a positive shift.

“It demonstrates how our proactive approach to patient’s concerns can be addressed without having to enter into formal processes.

“The immediate involvement of the service or provider of care means concerns are responded to in real time and early resolutions reached.

“We will continue to make it ‘easy’ for patients, relatives and carers to raise concerns.”