Quarter of people in England had poor NHS care in past year, report says

A recent report by Healthwatch England reveals that 25% of people in England experienced substandard NHS care in the past year, yet fewer than 10% lodged formal complaints. Among those who did, over half were dissatisfied with the complaints process or its outcome. The report highlights a pervasive lack of public confidence in the NHS's handling of complaints and finds "little evidence" that the health service is fulfilling its duty to use complaints as a means to improve care. 

THEGUARDIAN.COM 

 

Healthwatch England recommends that NHS England require healthcare providers to collect comprehensive demographic data on complainants, including gender, ethnicity, and disability status. They also suggest that the Department of Health and Social Care establish detailed, mandatory standards for information on navigating the complaints process, accessible through platforms like the NHS App. Additionally, the report calls for a comprehensive review of statutory NHS complaints advocacy services and the setting of mandatory response times for complaints. 

HEALTHWATCH.CO.UK 

 

This report underscores the need for systemic improvements in how the NHS addresses and learns from patient complaints to enhance the quality of care. 

 

Source: The Guardian – “Quarter of people in England had poor NHS care in past year, report says” (Published: 27 January 2025) 

 

To read the full article please click on the following link [ Click Here ]