We accepted 400 complaints for investigation in 2011-12. The figures shown above only add up to 399 because one of these complaints was about NHS Direct, which works at a national level. To account for the difference in population in each region, the figures in brackets show the number of complaints accepted for investigation per 100,000 inhabitants. This is worked out using the Office of National Statistics’ 2009 mid-year population estimates.
Complaints accepted for formal investigation, by organisation type
Top health organisations, ranked by complaints accepted for investigation
4 organisations each had 6 complaints accepted for investigation, generating a list of 8 organisations overall.
Volume of complaints can provide an early warning of failures in service delivery, but a high number of complaints does not necessarily mean poor performance. It could mean that information provided by organisations about how to make a complaint is good. Many other factors can affect the volume of complaints, including the size of the organisation and the size and make-up of the population it serves.