Published: 18 December 2009
Sharing and Publishing Information about Complaints
The Health Service Ombudsman, Ann Abraham, has published a consultation document - Sharing and Publishing Information about Complaints - with the purpose of seeking views on sharing & publishing information about complaints handled by the Ombudsman.
This consultation is taking place now because of the increased focus on the importance of information about complaints following recent events in the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust & elsewhere.
The significant changes in the NHS complaints system and the abolition of the Healthcare Commission as a second stage complaint handler, have given rise to some unrealistic expectations of the volume & scope of information that the Ombudsman can & will make available.
Commenting on the consultation document, Ms Abraham says:
"We need to protect the privacy of all our casework and, at the same time, want to share the learning from complaints with those who are likely to benefit from having access to that information.
This is a wide audience and includes the public at large, MPs, organisations providing advice and advocacy, and regulators such as the Care Quality Commission, Monitor, the General Medical Council, Nursing and Midwifery Council, and of course the NHS itself."
The closing date for submitting views is 10 March 2010.
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