NHS complaints in Suffolk and North East Essex rise by nearly a quarter

The big picture: NHS England figures reveal 2,123 written complaints were lodged against hospital and community health services at the NHS Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board in the year to March, reflecting the immense pressure NHS workers are under.

Why it matters: The surge in complaints indicates growing frustration with local health services, with three-quarters of all complaints being found to have merit:

• 21% were fully upheld, meaning investigators agreed completely with the complaint.

• 54% were partially upheld, where some but not all aspects of the complaint were found to be justified.

• The remaining complaints were dismissed.

Zooming out: The local increase reflects a wider national picture, with written complaints across England reaching 241,922 last year – the highest figure since records began in 2016-17. The 5% rise has led to Labour branding the NHS "broken", while health think tank The King's Fund says patient frustration is rising across the country.

The key issues: Communication problems topped the list of concerns, followed by patient care quality and staff behaviour and values.

What you can do: Louise Ansari, chief executive of Healthwatch England, says patients should know they have the right to complain, explaining: "Patients appreciate the pressures health and care services are under. However, the public deserves a complaints system that is easy to navigate, timely, empathetic."

Looking ahead: Healthwatch, which operates independently from the NHS, is launching new research to examine:

• Who feels confident enough to formally complain

• What stops other patients from raising concerns

• How the complaints system could be improved

The bottom line: If you need to raise concerns about NHS care in Suffolk or North East Essex, you can contact Healthwatch for independent advice on navigating the complaints process.

Sources

• Data on Written Complaints in the NHS