North West Anglia Trust receives fewer complaints during pandemic

Fewer complaints were made to North West Anglia Trust last year, figures reveal.

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman said patients recognising the pressure on health services during the Covid-19 crisis has likely been a major factor in a fall in NHS complaints across England.

NHS England figures show North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust received 753 written complaints in 2020-21.

This was down from 926 the year before, but more than the 733 received in 2018-19.

Complaints were most often about patients aged between 26 and 55 – 228 were lodged last year, accounting for 30% of all those where an age was known.

There were also 31 complaints about infants younger than five.

Hospital and community health services across England received 83,899 complaints in 2020-21 – a decrease of 26% from 2019-20.

However, NHS England announced an optional pause to the complaints process between March and June 2020 which may have affected the number received.

Rob Behrens, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman responsible for investigating complaints about government departments and the NHS in England, said it is hard to know exactly why the numbers have dropped, but the pandemic has likely been a "major factor".

He added: "People recognise the NHS is under pressure and might be holding back, but ultimately, I encourage anyone who believes they have suffered an injustice to come forward.

"I fear the NHS will face a tidal wave of complaints that will take years to go through, while others maybe denying themselves justice by not coming forward."