23 complaints South Essex Partnership NHS Mental Health Trust and only 1 investigation?
Dear Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman,
Your recently published figures of complaints 2009/10 revealed that out of 23 complaints made against South Essex Partnership University Mental Health Trust to yourselves, only 1 proceeded onto an investigation. Please could you supply the following information;
A summary of all 23 complaints, indicating the complaint investigated and its outcome.
Many thanks
Yours faithfully,
L Cowling
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Dear L Cowling
I am unable to provide you with any details of the complaints about South Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust further to those already provided in our report 'Listening and Learning: the Ombudsman's review of complaint handling by the NHS in England 2009-10'. This is because, by law, information that we obtain for the purposes of an investigation (including whether or not to investigate a complaint) can only be disclosed in very specific circumstances, none of which apply to your request (section 15 of the Health Service Commissioners Act 1993). Section 44 of the Freedom of Information Act exempts disclosure of information if disclosure is prohibited by any other enactment.
However, you may find it helpful to read more information about the Ombudsman's work as set out in our annual reports. These reports can be found at http://www.ombudsman.org.uk/about-us/pub....
I understand that you may be dissatisfied with my decision. You can ask for a review of this decision by writing to: The Review Team, Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, Millbank Tower, Millbank, London, SW1P 4QP ([email address]). Beyond that if you remain dissatisfied you can ask the Information Commissioner to look into your concerns. He can be contacted at The Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF, helpline telephone number 0303 123 1113 (www.ico.gov.uk).
Yours sincerely
Jenny Elkeles
Head of Freedom of Information/Data Protection
Dear FOI officer,
RE: http://www.ombudsman.org.uk/about-us/pub...
Figure 5: Subject keywords assigned to health complaints 2009-10
Complaints have been broken down into categories such as clinical care and treatment, Attitude of staff, Access to services etc.
Surely the PHSO can provide information on individual organisations which align with these categories of complaints received as well as investigated?
Therefore please could you review my original request for details of the types of the 23 complaints, as per your own categorisation, the PHSO received regarding South Essex Partnership Trust, indicating the type of complaint that the PHSO investigated.
Many thanks.
Lee Cowling
Thank you for your e-mail to the Parliamentary and Health Service
Ombudsman. This return e-mail shows that we have received your
correspondence.
All email communications with PHSO pass through the Government Secure
Intranet, and may be automatically logged, monitored and/or recorded for
legal purposes.
The MessageLabs Anti Virus Service is the first managed service to achieve
the CSIA Claims Tested Mark (CCTM Certificate Number 2006/04/0007), the UK
Government quality mark initiative for information security products and
services. For more information about this please visit www.cctmark.gov.uk
Dear L Cowling
Please find attached a response to your recent information request.
Yours sincerely
Aimee Gasston
Freedom of Information and Data Protection Officer
Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
All email communications with PHSO pass through the Government Secure
Intranet, and may be automatically logged, monitored and/or recorded for
legal purposes.
The MessageLabs Anti Virus Service is the first managed service to achieve
the CSIA Claims Tested Mark (CCTM Certificate Number 2006/04/0007), the UK
Government quality mark initiative for information security products and
services. For more information about this please visit www.cctmark.gov.uk
Dear Gasston Aimee,
Many thanks for your reply and the list supplied.
I would be most grateful if you could indicate the case from that list that was investigated by the PHSO.
Many thanks.
Yours sincerely,
L Cowling
Dear L Cowling
Thank you for your further email of 31 January.
Of the 23 complaints received in 2009/10 about South Essex Partnership
University NHS Foundation Trust (the Trust), none were accepted for
investigation. The case in our report* listed against the Trust as
accepted for investigation in 2009/10 was received in the previous
financial year.
Yours sincerely
Aimee Gasston
Freedom of Information and Data Protection Officer
Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
*Listening and Learning: the Ombudsman's review of complaint handling by
the NHS in England 2009-10
Dear Gasston Aimee,
Thank you for your email.
"The case in our report* listed against the Trust as
accepted for investigation in 2009/10 was received in the previous financial year"
Could you indicate what category of complaint this fell into.
Many thanks.
Yours sincerely,
L Cowling
Dear L Cowling
I can confirm that this case fell into the following categories:
. Diagnosis - delay, failure to diagnose, misdiagnosis;
. Communication and information (inc. confidentiality);
. Clinical care and treatment; and
. Complaint handling: inadequate systemic remedy.
I hope that this information is helpful.
Yours sincerely
Aimee Gasston
Data Protection/Freedom of Information Officer
Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
Dear Gasston Aimee,
Many thanks for your reply.
However, was this complaint upheld?
Yours sincerely,
L Cowling
Gadawodd D. Speers anodiad ()
Well done Lee
...can I use this as an example to send HSC?
It really is like pushing water uphill eh!
Dee
Dear L Cowling
I can confirm that it was not upheld.
Yours sincerely
Aimee Gasston
Data Protection / Freedom of Information Officer
Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
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Gadawodd L Cowling anodiad ()
By their own admission, PHSO does not always investigate serious issues raised due to the outcome not being worthwhile!!!
Therefore, as PHSO does not have patient safety as a principle, patients can be put at, and remain, at risk. This is a serious lacunae in the complaints process and can provide an impediment for uncovering "Mid-Staffordshire" type behaviour.