Agenda item

Ben Woffenden, Complaints Manager, Pennine Care Foundation Trust will attend the meeting. Report attached.

Members of the Committee considered a verbal presentation from Ben Woffenden, Complaints Manager, Pennine Care Foundation Trust.  The presentation contained the following information:

·         During Quarter 1, the Trust’s community healthcare services have received 31 complaints. This represents a decrease of 3 (9%) compared to the previous quarter.

·         In the same period, the Trust’s community healthcare services responded to 43 complaints. 95% (41 out of 43) of those complaints were responded to within the timescale agreed with the complainant

·         This quarter, the Trust’s mental health services have received 45 complaints. This represents an increase of 2 (5%) compared to the previous quarter.

·         In the same period, the Trust’s mental health services responded to 46 complaints. 93% (43 out of 46) of those complaints were responded to within the timescale agreed with the complainant.

The Complaints Manager reported that through the continued analysis of complaints received and responded to across all community health services, it was identified that several complaints involved a particular member of staff within Community Services Bury. The borough has been able to provide assurance that the identified theme has been addressed appropriately via HR procedures.   There was a significant increase in the number of complaints received in quarter 1 about Trafford Division; however there is no discernible reason for this.

There has been analysis of the complaints received and responded to within the quarter, to establish if there are any themes or trends:

·         Bury

There was a 33% reduction in the number of complaints raised about mental health services in Bury during the reportable quarter in comparison to the previous quarter.

Of the complaints received, there were three received about the Department of Psychiatry (in comparison for none received in the previous three quarters). That increase has been analysed and it is apparent that all three relate to different staff and issues. There is no trend apparent from the complaints responded to in the Quarter.

·         Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale

There was a 33% reduction in the number of complaints raised about mental health services in Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale during the reportable quarter in comparison to the previous quarter. Given the fluctuation experienced quarter on quarter over the past year, it is helpful to compare the number of complaints received this quarter with an average taken over the past year; 7 complaints on average have been received per quarter and 6 were received this quarter.

There have been three complaints this quarter and also last quarter received about the Department of Psychiatry. These have been considered to establish if there is a trend, which there is not; the cases relate to different members of staff and different issues.

·         Oldham

This quarter, Oldham mental health services have received 5 complaints. This was 3 more than received in the previous quarter. Whilst a significant percentage increase, it is notable that there has been quarter-on-quarter fluctuation in the number of complaints received in Oldham for the past 12 months. There is no discernible reason for the increase of 3 complaints; despite that increase, the total of 5 received this quarter is below the average of 6 received per quarter in the preceding 12 months.

·         Stockport

There was a significant increase in the number of complaints received by the Trust regarding its mental health services in Stockport during this quarter. The majority of these were received in May 2015.

There has been an analysis of those complaints received. In terms of the 3 cases received about Norbury Ward, 2 were from different members of the same family regarding the same mattes. All three have now been investigated and there are no common issues regarding the care of the two different patients.

There have been 4 cases regarding The Meadows (three about Davenport and one about Saffron), with common issues around communication, premises and attitude of staff. These remain under investigation.

·         Tameside

There was no theme or trend apparent from the complaints received or responded to relating to Tameside mental health services during the applicable period.

In quarter Q1 2015-16, the Patient Advice Liaison service has received 84 cases relating to mental health service across the Trust. This compares to 74 in quarter 3 2014-15, showing a 13.5% increase

The Committee were informed that the Trust have recently developed a Patient Experience Strategy.  The Strategy will aim to catch data in real time and take into account the development of the friends and family test.

Members of the Joint Committee expressed concerns about the higher than average number of complaints in Stockport.  The Complaints manager reported that the reason for this is multi-factorial and as part of the investigation process the complaints manager and senior staff from the Trust have meet with service users, carers and representatives from the Meadows to discuss concerns raised.

In response to a Member’s question, the Complaints Manager acknowledged that the majority of complaints continue to be a result of communication problems.  The Trust has developed a patient experience partnership and any learning from complaints is highlighted through organisational development and within training.

It was agreed:

The Pennine Care Foundation Trust, Complaints Manger be thanked for his attendance.