The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 270 No 7243 p467
5 April 2003

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"NHS complaints reform: making things right" (PDF 135K)

National body takes on NHS complaints

Responsibility for reviewing complaints about National Health Service treatment or services is to be transferred from trusts to the Commission for Healthcare Audit and Improvement.

Currently, complaints are first dealt with by primary care contractors or NHS trusts themselves, with patients having the right to demand an independent review if they remain unsatisfied. According to the Department of Health, the 2 per cent of people who proceed to independent reviews do not perceive them to be impartial, so it wants to change the system.

"NHS complaints reform: making things right" is available as a PDF (135K).

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