Читать книгу The Nursing Associate's Handbook of Clinical Skills - Группа авторов - Страница 236

NHS Friends and Family Test, launched in 2013, was designed to help those who provide services to have a better understanding of whether their patients are happy with the service provided, or if there are improvements required. The initiative is a quick and anonymous approach to giving views after receiving care or treatment across the NHS. The feedback, good or bad, can help to improve the quality of care.

Organisations who offer services can devise additional ways of receiving feedback, and these should be clearly displayed for patients and visitors to see. If a person is unhappy with an NHS service, they should be encouraged to discuss any concerns early on with the service provider, with the intention of addressing any issues quickly. A number of problems can be dealt with using this approach; in some cases, however, the person may feel more at ease speaking to someone who is not directly involved in the case.

Complaints can range in severity from unhappiness about food to concerns arising as a result of an allegation of professional misconduct or inappropriate or incorrect surgical intervention. Those who make a complaint about the care or treatment received have a right to expect a prompt, open, useful and honest response. This includes an explanation of what has occurred and an apology. The nursing associate must never prejudice the care or treatment provided for a patient because a complaint has been made.

The Local Authority Social Services and NHS Complaints (England) Regulations 2009 require each NHS body to make arrangements for the handling and consideration of complaints. These arrangements that have to be accessible, ensure that complaints are dealt with speedily and efficiently and that patients are treated courteously and sensitively as far as possible and are involved in decisions about how their complaints are handled and considered. There must be a copy of the arrangements available in writing, and when requested, a copy must be given, free of charge, to any person who requests one.

Figure 9.1 The NHS feedback and complaints procedure.

Figure 9.1 provides an overview of the NHS feedback and complaints procedure.