HC Deb 24 November 1994 vol 250 cc322-3W
Mr. Milburn

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patient complaints have been received in each of the last five years by region.

Hospital Complaints
1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93
Northern 1,546 1,750 2,083 2,627 2,758
Yorkshire 2,015 2,233 2,384 2,779 3,939
Trent 2,398 2,970 2,772 3,772 4,303
East Anglian 1,105 1,207 1,504 1,877 2,536
North West Thames 2,626 3,348 3,534 4,505 4,694
North East Thames 4,121 4,351 4,207 6,055 8,505
South East Thames 3,076 2,257 2,515 5,472 5,243
South West Thames 2,953 3,213 2,849 4,065 4,726
Wessex 1,846 2,109 2,063 3,026 3,276
Oxford 1,371 1,477 1,822 1,728 3,182
South Western 1,617 2,064 2,248 2,532 4,877
West Midlands 3,241 3,894 3,859 5,105 'N/A
Mersey 1,803 1,654 1,507 2,307 3,661
North Western 3,032 3,054 3,234 4,475 5,381
Special Health Authorities 546 600 769 805 7'73
Source:
K040 returns.
1 No return was submitted.

The increase in complaints recorded can be attributed to the increase in patient awareness and confidence due to the patients charter.