Understanding complaints made about surgical departments in a UK district general hospital.
Claydon O, Keeler B, Khanna A. Understanding complaints made about surgical departments in a UK district general hospital. Int J Qual Health Care. 2021;33(3). doi:10.1093/intqhc/mzab095.
Patient complaints may provide insight into patient safety. Three hundred and ninety-nine patient or family complaints against the surgery departments at one United Kingdom hospital were examined. A quarter of those complaints related to communication with hospital staff, 24% were related to out-of-hospital delays, and 22% were clinical issues. Interventions aimed at improving communication with patients and families may improve patient experiences.