This shows the complaints we received about the NHS in 2011-12, grouped by the strategic health authority region in which they originated. To account for the difference in population in each region, the figures in brackets show the number of complaints received per 100,000 inhabitants. This is worked out using the Office of National Statistics’ 2009 mid year population estimates.
These figures do not include complaints relating to the Healthcare Commission, special health authorities or where the strategic health authority is unknown.
Complaints received, by organisation type
Complaints received, by SHA region and organisation type
| Correct SHA | Ambulance trusts | Care trusts | General dental practitioners | General practitioners | Healthcare Commission | Independent providers | Mental health, social care and learning disability trusts | NHS hospital, specialist and teaching trusts (acute) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Midlands SHA | 23 | 16 | 52 | 136 | 14 | 155 | 409 | |
| East of England SHA | 28 | 29 | 53 | 196 | 43 | 144 | 734 | |
| Healthcare Commission | 1 | |||||||
| London SHA | 64 | 28 | 136 | 508 | 37 | 363 | 1,678 | |
| North East SHA | 11 | 8 | 16 | 80 | 21 | 50 | 303 | |
| North West SHA | 27 | 6 | 84 | 249 | 17 | 206 | 930 | |
| Other Health Authority | ||||||||
| South Central SHA | 8 | 35 | 41 | 139 | 16 | 79 | 377 | |
| South East Coast SHA | 17 | 26 | 76 | 177 | 22 | 120 | 480 | |
| South West SHA | 33 | 19 | 90 | 229 | 24 | 126 | 645 | |
| Special Health Authority | ||||||||
| Unknown SHA | 9 | 342 | 860 | 21 | 76 | 415 | ||
| West Midlands SHA | 23 | 51 | 87 | 191 | 16 | 127 | 801 | |
| Yorkshire and The Humber SHA | 19 | 17 | 60 | 186 | 41 | 114 | 631 | |
| Grand Total | 262 | 235 | 1,037 | 2,951 | 1 | 272 | 1,560 | 7,403 |
| Correct SHA | NHS hospital, specialist and teaching trusts (acute) | Opticians | Other health authorities | Pharmacies | Primary care trusts | Special health authorities | Strategic health authorities | Unknown | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Midlands SHA | 409 | 3 | 1 | 177 | 22 | 1,008 | |||
| East of England SHA | 734 | 1 | 3 | 250 | 16 | 1,497 | |||
| Healthcare Commission | 1 | ||||||||
| London SHA | 1,678 | 4 | 3 | 295 | 16 | 3,132 | |||
| North East SHA | 303 | 56 | 5 | 550 | |||||
| North West SHA | 930 | 1 | 5 | 308 | 15 | 1,848 | |||
| Other Health Authority | 21 | 21 | |||||||
| South Central SHA | 377 | 1 | 6 | 214 | 27 | 943 | |||
| South East Coast SHA | 480 | 1 | 8 | 177 | 17 | 1,121 | |||
| South West SHA | 645 | 1 | 6 | 229 | 30 | 1,432 | |||
| Special Health Authority | 49 | 49 | |||||||
| Unknown SHA | 415 | 18 | 48 | 141 | 4 | 1,934 | |||
| West Midlands SHA | 801 | 1 | 7 | 198 | 18 | 1 | 1,521 | ||
| Yorkshire and The Humber SHA | 631 | 1 | 4 | 202 | 5 | 1,280 | |||
| Grand Total | 7,403 | 32 | 21 | 91 | 2,247 | 49 | 175 | 1 | 16,337 |
Top health organisations, ranked by complaints received
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.
Highest % increase in complaints received
Highest % decrease in complaints received
These charts show the top five organisations about which we have seen the highest percentage increase or decrease in the numbers of complaints. We have only included organisations if we have received at least 50 complaints about them. We changed the way we recorded statistics about primary care trusts in 2011-12, which means figures for this year and the previous year are not directly comparable. Primary care trusts are therefore not included in these charts.
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.