Scottish NHS funding cuts blamed for rise in complaints rise as nurse numbers fall

Health Correspondent

Wednesday 26 September 2012

THE number of complaints against the Scottish NHS has surged and nurses are warning staff cuts may be to blame.

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Helen Puttick

New figures show a 15% rise in issues raised with the health service by patients, the largest annual increase since 2005.

The number of nurses employed by Scottish health boards is at the lowest level since the same year.

Nurses, midwives and health visitors were the subject of most complaints relating to staff, accounting for 41%.Theresa Fyffe, Scotland director of the Royal College of Nursing, said: "In some ways it is no surprise nurses and midwives are the subject of most complaints about staff and staffing. They are the largest staff group, spend the most time of all staff with patients and so can have the biggest impact on how patients feel about their care."However, with nurse numbers at their lowest since 2005, nursing staff have less time to provide high-quality care for individual patients."She also said the number of complaints could be linked to the growing number of patients with complex health problems. A total of 8117 complaints were lodged with the Scottish NHS in 2011-12, compared with 7055 in 2010-11. NHS Lothian saw the largest increase, with a 31% rise, followed by NHS Forth Valley at 29% and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde at 27%.Jackie Baillie, Labour health spokeswoman, said: "These complaints are the real legacy of [former health secretary] Nicola Sturgeon. Fewer staff, coping with more demands with less resource... a recipe for disaster."The Scottish Government has encouraged patients to provide feedback, both good and bad.A spokesperson said: "We note the overall increase in the number of complaints. The learning from these will be used positively by NHS boards. Previous research showed patients were reluctant to complain."The findings from the research helped inform the development of the Patient Rights [Scotland] Act 2011, which provides from April 1, 2012, that all patients have a right to give feedback, raise concerns or complaints about the healthcare they have received."

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Scottish NHS funding cuts blamed for rise in complaints rise as nurse numbers fall

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