Downloading PDF

Improving the handling of complaints

Improving the handling of complaints

Home » Case studies » Improving the handling of complaints

Thorough research and analysis by our Complaints & PALS Team informed commissioners of best practice which ultimately led to improvements in the handling of complaints and service change across Lancashire and South Cumbria.  

Background

Our Complaints and PALS Team has conducted a benchmarking exercise across NHS complaint handling bodies in Lancashire and South Cumbria (LSC). This followed concerns emerging about how complaints were being handled across LSC by both commissioners and providers. ​

Action

We created a benchmarking questionnaire that was sent via NHS England and NHS Improvement to all LSC clinical commissioning groups and NHS trusts (10 complaints handling bodies in total). Analysing their responses highlighted wide variation in performance against targets. We also found potential examples of best practice worth further investigation to identify learning that could be shared. ​

We drew up a list of recommendations to ensure effective use of the data gathered.​

Impact

Our recommendations set out scope for further exploration where this exercise highlighted disparities or good practice. ​

The benchmarking returns showed commissioners how their providers handle complaints and what additional information could be gathered to drive improvement and inform future commissioning. ​

It also led to a discussion about options for how complaints could be handled across the emerging integrated care system and primary care networks as care pathways become better coordinated around the needs of the patient. A task and finish group of heads of complaints/patient experience was set up to make proposals for service change and improvement across the LSC Integrated Care System, reporting back to the Directors of Nursing Group in early 2020.   ​

We plan to replicate this work in other areas.​

Further information

If you would like more information about our services, you can contact us on our help and contact page.

View all

News and views

News

Investigation and intervention proposal for ICBs

In addition to the work NHS England’s (NHSE’s) Intensive Support Teams are undertaking at both regional and national…

Blog News

A walk through of the Court of Protection Deprivation of Liberty process

Fergus Campbell, Clinical Lead, NHS ML In the final post of our blog mini-series on Court of Protection…

News

Join the tenth anniversary edition of The School for Change Agents!

Would you like to develop skills to make a difference and create change in health and care?   The…

View all

How we can help health systems

Clinical redesign and provider collaboration

Redesigning how health and care works across England - placing people at the centre of their own health and care and utilising…

Learn more about Clinical redesign and provider collaboration
Clinical redesign and provider collaboration

Communications and engagement

Supporting ICSs with approaches to design and deliver effective communication, engagement and behavioural insights as a key enabler for system change and…

Learn more about Communications and engagement
Communications and engagement

Developing health systems

Acting as an independent and trusted partner within the system to facilitate working across stakeholders and integrate elements of the provider system…

Learn more about Developing health systems
Developing health systems

Digitally enabled transformation and IT

Digitising care and partnering with systems for the transformation of digitally enabled service delivery (and other supporting processes) across vision, planning and…

Learn more about Digitally enabled transformation and IT
Digitally enabled transformation and IT

Improving productivity and efficiency

We have a range of impactful solutions both across operational services and transformational programmes to support NHS systems to tackle some of…

Learn more about Improving productivity and efficiency
Improving productivity and efficiency

People solutions

Supporting systems to build a sustainable and integrated workforce, transforming systems, organisations and the workforce experience to improve resilience.

Learn more about People solutions
People solutions

Personalised healthcare commissioning services

Providing end-to-end funded care services, including patients as active partners in identifying their healthcare needs and then commissioning care to meet these.…

Learn more about Personalised healthcare commissioning services
Personalised healthcare commissioning services

PHM analytics and decision support

Applying intelligence-led understanding of the health of the population to support the redesign of care and improve patient and financial outcomes across…

Learn more about PHM analytics and decision support
PHM analytics and decision support

Place and primary care transformation

Supporting providers to work together at a place and neighbourhood level to manage common resources, integrate community teams, improve health and reduce…

Learn more about Place and primary care transformation
Place and primary care transformation
MLCSU