§ Mr. CoxTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the number of recorded complaints about hospital services in each of the health regions in England and Wales during the last 12 months.
§ Dr. MawhinneyThe latest information available is shown in the table.
625W
Written complaints by or on behalf of patients England 1991–92 Number Northern 2,124 Yorkshire 2,074 Trent 3,328 East Anglian 1,699 North West Thames 3,426 North East Thames 4,091 South East Thames 4,375
Number South West Thames 2,322 Wessex 2,435 Oxford 1,489 South Western 1,144 West Midlands 3,833 Mersey 986 North Western 3,391 Special Health Authority 799 Total Trusts 7,164 England Total 44,680 Source: K040 return 1991–92.
Under the patients charter, launched in October 1991, we made it clear that patients have the right to have any complaint about national health services investigated.
Information relating to Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.