issue may eventually be resolved, often by litigation, but after compounded
distress to the patient, lengthy delays and unnecessary costs.If advice were to be
sought from a clinician accepted as independent by the patient, that would be
consistentwithlookingattheissueasoneofcareratherthancomplaintandwould
lead to far greater patient satisfaction whatever the outcome.
TheDepartmentofHealthcommissionedanevaluationofthewholecomplaints
procedure. Following publication of the evaluation report the DoH published in
September 2001 `a listening document' setting out a number of options for
reform.^10 Responses were required by 12th October, and the Department will
make its decision during 2002.
4.8 Notes and references
1.Being Heard,report of the Review Committee on NHS complaints procedures, chaired
by Professor Alan Wilson. May 1994.- Reportofanexpertgrouponlearningfromadverse eventsintheNHS,chairedbythe
Chief Medical Officer. May 2000, p. 58 para. 4.33. - Pre-action Protocol for the Resolution of Clinical Disputes. Civil Procedure Rules
Practice Direction.
4.BMJVol. 316, p. 1917.
5.Guidance on implementation of the NHS Complaints Procedure.NHS Executive March
1996.
6.Cause for Complaint?An evaluation of the effectiveness of the NHS complaints proce-
dure paragraph 4.58 published by the Public Law Project. - HealthCommitteeSession1998±99SixthReport:Procedures Related to Adverse Clinical
Incidents and Outcomes in Medical Care;para. 88. - Health Committee Report, para. 20.
- In an address to the UKCC on 7th June 1999.
- For the evaluation see http://www.doh.gov.uk/nhscomplaintsreform/evaluationreport
For the listening document see http://www.doh.gov.uk/nhscomplaintsreform
The Complaints Dimension: Patient Complaints in Health Care Provision 59