Just over 148,000 written complaints about the health service in 2010-11 were reported to the NHS Information Centre for its annual collection; a 2.4 per cent (3,700) decrease in reported complaints compared to the previous year.

However, 29 foundation trusts (FTs) did not report any data in 2010-11, compared to 18 in the previous year, according to Data on written complaints in the NHS - 2010-11, a collection that is voluntary for FTs.

Considering the 352 trusts who reported data for both 2010-11 and for the previous year; total written complaints increased by 0.3 per cent; from 145,000 to 145,400.

Today's report presents data reported through two collections – one for family health services and one for hospital and community health services, which is voluntary for FTs. It also includes for the first time published data about the subject area of complaint down to NHS trust level.

Between 2009-10 and 2010-11, the total number of written complaints reported on by the NHS Information Centre:

• about family health services saw a slight decrease of 50 (0.1 per cent); from 50,760 to 50,710.
• about hospital and community health services, considering all organisations taking part, decreased by 3.6 per cent from 101,100 to 97,500. However considering only organisations who took part in both years, there was a 0.5 per cent increase from 94,200 to 94,700.

For family health services (including GPs and dentists) in 2010-11;

• The medical area received the most written complaints of any service area (30,780); accounting for three in five (61 per cent) of complaints recorded. This type of complaint increased by 0.5 per cent on the previous year (when there were 30,620 complaints of this type; accounting for 60 per cent of all complaints).
• The subject most complained about was clinical service, which accounted for one in three (35 per cent) of complaints (17,470). This type of complaint increased by seven per cent on the previous year (when there were 16,300 complaints of this type; accounting for 34 per cent of all complaints)

For NHS hospitals and community services in 2010-11:

• The medical profession received the most written complaints of any service area; accounting for just under 45 per cent (43,600) of complaints recorded. Nurses, midwives and health visitors accounted for the second biggest amount at just over a fifth (21,500) of complaints. This is similar proportion to the previous year.
• The subject most complained about was “all aspects of clinical treatment”, which accounted for 44 per cent of complaints (43,200). This type of complaint increased from 42 per cent in the previous year.

NHS Information Centre chief executive Tim Straughan said: “Data about 148,200 complaints was submitted to this report, but I would encourage all foundation trusts to report their complaints to us, so that future reports can tell the complex story based on information from every trust.

“It appears that medical and clinical aspects of care remain the biggest area of complaint within the NHS.”

Read the full report at www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/nhscomplaints1011

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