Vol. 404 No. 6
187 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Health the number of patient complaints about hospital treatment which his Department have been asked to investigate in each of the past two years; and the number of investigations which have been completed.
Records indicate that there were approximately 1,450 representations made in 1989 to the hospitals division of my Department and there were approximately 1,150 representations made in 1990. It is estimated that one in seven of these representations were related to various aspects of hospital treatment. It is my Department's policy to pursue all complaints with the hospital concerned and where appropriate to review the outcome with my Department's professional advisers.
These figures must be seen in the context that over 500,000 patients were admitted to acute general hospitals in each of these years.
As stated in the Programme for Economic and Social Progress a patient's charter is being developed which will include the right to make a complaint. I am concerned that hospitals should develop effective complaints procedures. Monitoring complaints is a useful source of patient feedback and should ensure that problems are identified and remedied as appropriate.
