The Christie Foundation Trust Annual Report and Accounts 2021-22

Complaints survey The Christie has routinely sent complainants a questionnaire since August 2013 asking their views on how their complaint was handled and their opinion of the complaint response. The questionnaire was redesigned in August 2015 in line with The CQC report ‘Complaints Matter’ and Parliamentary Health Service Ombudsman ‘My Expectations’ 2015. Unfortunately, the complaints survey was temporarily put on hold during the covid-19 pandemic and therefore there is very little data this financial year to feedback from patients about the handling of their complaint and complaint response. However, the feedback we have received has been positive overall with patients feeling that the Trust was understanding of their complaint and appropriate measures were put in place to resolve their issues and prevent them from happening again in the future.

As of 1st April 2022, the process for sending out complaints questionnaires has resumed.

Learning from Complaints 2021/22 The following table gives examples of complaints issues that have been raised and associated actions taken as a result:

Issues

Actions taken

Concern about lack of information about cancelled appointment. Concerns that patient was not allowed to attend appointment with family member and that patient received bad news and her son had to hear this over the phone. Concern about manner in which staff member spoke to patient. Concerns raised that a complaint not actioned within 25 working days.

The concerns have been discussed with the team to share learning. Re-educated the clinical and administration teams to ensure that patients receiving upsetting news will have the opportunity to have some support with them in clinic in the future. Discussed with staff members involved and reflected upon conduct. Staff member gave apology to patient. The team has been re-educated on their processes to ensure that they diarise all complaint deadlines and update every patient with any anticipated delays. Re-educating all Clinical Nurse Specialists on the importance of ensuring good practice when holding patient numbers. Reminder in consultant meetings re: correct process to follow when checking patient details during telephone calls. Incident raised with the administration team and reiterated the importance of ensuring that alternative contact details are left on out of office messages and to stress that that team members must ensure that colleague’s phones are covered in their absence. Procedure (SOP) for COVID-19 to be amended to ensure clear guidance of responsibilities for staff to action. Case to be presented at divisional governance meeting. A verbal reminder in consultant meetings reiterating the correct process to follow when checking patient details 75

Received text message with another patient’s blood results

Patient given information from doctor meant for another patient.

Difficulty in contacting secretary and lack of cover when on annual leave.

Concern raised about inpatient contracting Covid-19 whilst inpatient.

Concern that Consultant started telephone consultation thinking patient