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NHS Complaints Statistics

Latest Publication Data

Data presented on this website includes:

• the number of complaints received;
• the time taken to deal with complaints and their outcome;
• issues raised in complaints;
• requests made for independent review (available up to 2005).

Within NHS organizations across Scotland, there was a lack of consistency when using codes to record complaints made against an NHS service. Each Complaints Office follows general guidance about complaint recording within the NHS, but may also use their own local set of categories to register the details, or have their own interpretation of how to complete the dataset. With the development of a new national dataset, ISD has built an NHS Complaints system containing revised codes and detailed definitions. These definitions and codes will be used nationally to ensure consistency with recording practices from Board to Board within the NHS.

Implementation of the new dataset for Hospital & Community Services commenced mid-way through the latest reporting year. The new data have been mapped to ensure we can provide consistent reporting measures for the full year in this release. System difficulties were encountered by a small number of suppliers, and they provided contingency extracts to ensure full submission for the year. The number of complaints has been signed-off locally and all data items have passed the validation process.  

The statistics relating to GP and dental services are collated via an aggregated annual return of the total number of complaints made against Family Health Services in the previous financial year. ISD are in the process of confirming the return for NHS Highland and have presented an estimate based on the two previous year's data as an interim measure. We have applied the estimate to the Scotland  total as it constitutes such a small proportion (approx. 5%) of that figure.

Total Number of Complaints Received		2006/07	2007/08	2008/091
Hospital and Community Services		7,387	7,290	6,904
Family Health Services		2,984	3,073	3,175
Scottish Ambulance Service		349	307	356
NHS24		194	149	109
NHS Health Scotland		1	1	5
The State Hospital Board for Scotland		112	58	53
The National Waiting Times Centre		18	25	46
NHS Education for Scotland (NES)		0	14	7
NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (QIS)		0	1	0
Scottish Health Council (QIS)		2	0	0
NHS National Services Scotland (NSS)		193	226	312
Scottish National Blood transfusion Service-Blood Donors (NSS)		156	197	281
Total1		11,240	11,144	10,967

1 Currently includes an estimated number of Family Health Services complaints in NHS Highland.

 

Hospital & Community Health Services and Special Health Boards Complaint Statistics

Family Health Services Complaints Statistics

Statistical Publication Notice for Complaints, publication Sept 09

Note that the complaints procedure was revised from April 2005, and changes were made to the process (for example, Independent Panel Review).  For more information about the changes, select  NHS Complaints Overview. 

It was decided that in 2006/07, all Special Boards, a number of National and Support Organisations and the Scottish Health Council were to submit their complaints data to ISD. Below is a list of the websites of these organisations if further information is required about them:

Scottish Ambulance Service  

NHS 24

Scottish National Blood transfusion Service

The State Hospital for Scotland

The National Waiting Times Centre

NHS Education for Scotland

NHS Health Scotland

NHS Quality Improvement Scotland

NHS National Services Scotland

Scottish Health Council