HC Deb 17 November 1997 vol 301 c59W
Mr. Etherington

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list, by date of issue, each national and statutory set of guidelines governing the conduct of independent review panels.[15631]

Mr. Milburn

The documents listed were all issued on 12 March 1996 under cover of EL(96)19. They form the statutory framework for the operation of the National Health Service complaints procedures.

  • Directions to NHS trusts, health authorities and special health authorities for special hospitals on hospital complaints procedures;
  • Directions to health authorities on dealing with complaints about family health services practitioners;
  • Miscellaneous Directions to health authorities for dealing with complaints.

A further document, "Complaints … Listening … Acting … Improving: Guidance on implementation of the NHS Complaints Procedure", giving guidance to the NHS on these matters, was issued at the same time.

Mr. Etherington

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for each health authority the membership of the independent review panel appointed to hear complaints about NHS hospital services and general practitioner services.[15629]

Mr. Milburn

Neither health authorities nor National Health Service trust hospitals have a standing independent review panel with fixed membership. Where it is decided that a panel investigation of a complaint is appropriate, a three person panel with an independent lay chairman is set up specifically to consider that complaint.

Mr. Etherington

to ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for each health authority the number of complaints about(a) NHS hospital services and (b) general practitioner services and the number of independent review panels (i) requested, (ii) refused and (iii) held since 1 April 1996, indicating the average time between request for a panel hearing and the hearing date.[15630]

Mr. Milburn

Statistics on the first year of the new National Health Service complaints procedures are not yet available. The Government expect to publish them early in the New Year.