Shropshire hospital leaders consider ‘customer care’ training for some staff after jump in complaints - and compliments
Figures show that complaints made to Shropshire hospitals jumped in June at the same time as compliments also rose.
The board at the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals NHS Trust (SaTH) was told that increases in complaints were seen in areas including gynaecology, renal and orthopaedics.
A meeting of the SaTH board was told that a number of the complaints were around waiting times while others related to “staff attitude, communication and treatment”.
The trust’s interim chief nursing officer Paula Gardner told her board colleagues on Thursday (September 11) that as well as 112 complaints, the organisation had received 100 compliments.
The board meeting heard that in certain areas “there is some customer care training to do”.
Trust leaders are also tackling the time it takes to deal with complaints.
The meeting heard that overdue complaints and complaint response times “remain a concern”.
Figures show that the most recent response rate was 44 per cent, and barely reached 50 per cent over recent months.
Board papers say that “divisional meetings are in place and the chief nurse has addressed with divisional directors of nursing”.
A statement on the SaTH website reads: “It is always good to know when we are getting things right, and we would also like to know if you think we could be providing a better service.
“The hospital welcomes feedback and suggestions from everyone: patients and people who are important to them as this allows us to learn from your experience so we can improve the services we offer.”
It adds: “We know that we don’t get it right every time, if you are not happy with the care you receive while in hospital it is much better to tell someone while you are still here, so that we can do something about it.”
There has also been an increase in the use of the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) since it expanded to cover weekends.
