We are today publishing for the first time the statistics on complaints handled by Welsh Health Boards and Trusts. We are also publishing the most recent data on the complaints handled by Welsh Local Authorities.  The statistics published today relate to the first half of this financial year (April to September 2022).

Welsh Health Boards and Trusts

The data shows that between April and September 2022 Welsh Health Boards and Trusts received over 10,500 complaints. This is the equivalent of 6.84 complaints for every 1,000 residents of Wales* (PSOW uses this type of representation to better compare public services in Wales which vary greatly in size).

The data collected by PSOW shows that 28% of complaints recorded by Health Boards and Trusts were about clinical treatment or assessment, 18% were about appointments, and 17% were about communication issues.

Welsh Health Boards and Trusts closed just over 9,700 complaints within the relevant period – 76% within the target of 30 working days.

When people are unhappy with how service providers considered their complaints, they can refer those complaints to PSOW.  Therefore, the volume of complaints handled by Welsh Health Boards and Trusts gives context to PSOW caseload as well.

Between April and September 2022, PSOW received just under 500 complaints related to Welsh Health Boards and Trusts. This means that about 5% of all complaints that Health Boards and Trust closed within the relevant period were referred to PSOW.

Within the same period, PSOW closed 413 complaints about Health Boards and Trusts (some of which would have been referred to the office before April 2022).

PSOW found that something has gone wrong and intervened in 28% of those cases, by recommending Early Resolution**, or settling or upholding a complaint after an investigation. This is broadly consistent with the PSOW intervention rate into complaints about Health Boards and Trusts during the previous financial year.

Welsh Local Authorities

PSOW is also publishing today the most recent information about Local Authority complaints. During the first half of 2022/23, Local Authorities in Wales logged more than 7,500 complaints. This equates to 4.92 complaints for every 1,000 residents.

31% of complaints recorded by Local Authorities were about waste and refuse – a theme continuing from previous years – 16% were about housing, and 13% were about social services.

Similar to the Welsh Health Boards and Trusts, Local Authorities handled about 76% of complaints within the target time – although Local Authorities use a shorter target of 20 working days. This performance is similar to previous years.

Local Authorities upheld around 40% of all complaints, broadly the same as last year.

Within the same period, PSOW received 508 new complaints about Local Authorities.

The office also closed 548 such complaints (some of which would have been referred to the office during the previous financial year). PSOW intervened in 12% of those cases, by recommending Early Resolution**, or settling or upholding a complaint after an investigation.

 

Michelle Morris, the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales said,

“I’m pleased to publish complaints data from Welsh Health Boards and Trusts for the first time. Visibility of this information helps public bodies improve the way they deliver services, promotes transparency, and it shows the level of service they provide to the general public. We’ve been publishing data on Local Authorities for more than 12 months, and we hope this next step shows some of the value of our Complaints Standards Authority.“

Matthew Harris, PSOW’s Head of Complaints Standards, said,

“I’m delighted that we’re able to publish this data for the first time today. We’ve been working with public bodies since 2019 to help them feel confident in the way they handle complaints. Data always has to be the start of the story, and this publication gives us new and improved ways to describe performance”

 

 

*This figure is adjusted to allow comparison with full year figures

** In some cases, we may take the view that there is action that the organisation being complained about could take quickly to resolve a complaint. In these cases, we will contact the organisation involved to explain what we think might be done and seek its agreement to take that forward.

 

Published Statistics (ombudsman.wales)