Ombudsman comments on increase in written complaints about NHS

Commenting on the data published by NHS Digital, which reveals that the number of written complaints about the NHS has increased by 4.9 per cent, 

Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman Robert Behrens said:

The NHS provides high-quality care to millions of people every year but unfortunately we still see a wide variation in the quality of NHS complaint handling.

Far too many complaints come to us that could have been resolved by the NHS, leaving people waiting too long for answers and delaying important improvements.

We are committed to working with the NHS to improve the way complaints are handled.’