Wilson recommendations have addressed a number of the complaints about the
previous procedure, but many remain.
4.1 The `new' complaints systems
Attheheartofthemechanismsforpatientstocomplainabouttheservicetheyhave
received from health care providers within the NHS is the complaints procedure
whichcameintoeffecton1April1996followingthereportoftheWilsonInquiry
[1].Thisreplacedallexistinghospital,communityhealthserviceandfamilyhealth
service complaints procedures with a two stage procedure: local resolution and
independent review.
4.1.2 Local resolution
Thewholeideabehindthenewprocedureisthatcomplaintsshouldbedealtwith
as close as possible to the point where the service was provided. The majority of
complaintsareinvestigatedbytheTrustorthegeneralpractitioner'spracticeitself.
Oneofthemajorcomplaintsmadebypatientsaboutthepreviousprocedureswas
theinterminabletimecomplaintscouldtake.Theguidancetothenewprocedure
recommends specific timetables for dealing with the complaint in an attempt to
ensure that the patient receives a full response within a reasonable time [5].
The procedure should, as recommended by the Wilson Report be:
. accessible for complainants;
. simple;
. separate from disciplinary procedures;
. able to provide lessons about the quality of service delivery;
. fair;
. rapid and open;
. honest and thorough with the prime aim of resolving problems and satisfying
the concerns of the complainant.
Whilst there remains considerable dissatisfaction on the part of many patients
about the way local resolution is conducted, this revolves largely around imple-
mentation by many of the Trusts and GPs and their personnel rather than the
procedureitself.Byandlargetheprocedureisanimprovementonwhattookplace
before, mainly because it has concentrated the minds of those responsible for
dealing with complaints on their responsibilities to patients.
Unfortunately the same cannot be said for the independent review.
4.1. 3Independent review
The major complaint by patients' organisations about the review procedure for
hospital complaints that existed before the Wilson Inquiry was that notwith-
standingitstitle,theIndependentProfessionalReviewwasnotreallyindependent.
Two consultants from outside the region would be appointed by the Regional
MedicalOfficer;therewouldbenoinputintothereviewbythepatientwhowould
The Complaints Dimension: Patient Complaints in Health Care Provision 51