The National Health Service in Scotland Quarterly Bulletin
No. 7: April 1998 to March 1999

Complaints

Chart 11 shows that there has been a general downward trend in the number of hospital and community health service (HCHS) complaints received by trusts since the introduction of the new NHS complaints procedure in April 1996. The chart also shows that the percentage of complaints being dealt with within the 20 working day target varies between about 70% to 80% per quarter.

Chart 11: Number of HCHS Complaints Received and Percentage Responded to Within 20 Working Days

• There were 1,684 complaints received by trusts in the third quarter of 1998-99.
• Of these complaints 70.4% were dealt with within the 20 working day target.