Health bosses set out new complaints procedure

Powys Teaching Health Board  (PTHB) have set up a new framework to deal with complaints and concerns in a better way.

At a PTHB board meeting on Wednesday, members received an updated report on its new “Listening to People” framework.

This is a new all Wales policy which is in place to deal with managing concerns, complaints, incidents and redress.

Board members were told that the new framework is designed to simplify access for patients and families, remove duplication across systems and ensure a consistent organisational response.

Director of nursing, quality, women. and family health Paul Hooton said: “We have fully implemented the new listening to people framework since April 1, and are making good progress in embedding the framework around that.

“I will be regularly updating PEQS (Patient Experience Quality and Safety committee ) on that in the coming weeks and months.”

Independent board member Ian Thomas asked: “We have this, but also Llais and a number of other organisations around us that hold us to account.”

He wanted to check how all the different ways of making complaints and communicating with the health board are “triangulated” to ensure that patients are listened to and their voice is heard.

Llais is an  independent statutory body that speaks on behalf of patients and people on health issues in Wales.

Mr Hooton answered: “We have a number of ways that our residents  in Powys can contact us, raising concerns and questions.

“They can do that now through the new listening to people framework and equally, we will get questions raised by public representatives, Llais and others.”

He explained that issues raised through this other frameworks will be put in a  new style integrated quality report that will be presented to meetings of PEQS.

“From that, we identify learning and improvements that we need to make,” said Mr Hooton.

Independent board member Simon Thomas asked how the new framework worked?

Mr Hooton said: “We get concerns, complaints and issues raised with our service providers and we would use that to ask for an investigation and an update.

“The framework is geared around the individual who is raising the concern, in that they have direct interaction and communication with the service provider.

“Our new role is supporting our residents who raise those concerns in how they engage with and get that resolution they require in a timely manner.”

The framework will not apply to health services used by Powys residents in England.

Mr Hooton said that the framework principles would be used to try and “hold them to account” on any issues that are brought up.

Independent board member Jennifer Owen-Adams said: “I really welcome this; this is a new development for our culture to meet and address.”

The board went on to voted unanimously to ratify the new framework.

By Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporting Service