Data Sources and Definitions
NHS Complaints Definitions Document
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Definitions are given for the following
Data Sources
Definition of a Complaint
Complaints received / complaints dealt with
Issues Raised
Staff Group
Time taken to acknowledge
Time taken to respond
Median time taken to respond
Calculation of times
Private Sector
Outside Agencies
Abbreviations
NHS reconfiguration
National Statistics
Data Sources
NHS Boards and other NHS organisations deal with the complaints received by their area. Summary information for all the complaints received is recorded by each organisation on the ISD returns ISD(S)40A and ISD(S)40B.
For Hospital and Community Services, information such as the date the complaint was received, service area, issues raised, staff group and outcome of the complaint is summarised on the ISD(S)40A by using standard coding convention. For Family Health Services, an annual aggregated return ISD(S)40B is completed by the NHS organisation, recording the total number of complaints received split by service area.
This summary information is forwarded to ISD where it is validated and analysed. NHS Complaint Statistics are then published annually on the ISD website. Note that ISD does not hold any identifiable information with regards to the complaint - only summary codes for each complaint are held.
Click here to see the codes used for the ISD(S)40A return
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Definition of 'complaint'
In the NHS complaints procedure a complaint is defined :
"A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction requiring a response."
Citizen's Charter Complaints Task Force
The data submitted to ISD includes all formal written complaints. Note however, that there is a variation in recording practice across Scotland and some NHS Boards / organisations include telephone and other formal oral complaints. Complaints which were initially made orally and subsequently made in writing are also included. Further investigation into the consistency of recording practices in the NHS Boards and organisations across Scotland will be undertaken in future months.
Complaints 'received' / complaints 'dealt with'
In these pages, information is shown on all complaints received within financial years, from 1996/97 onwards. In a small number of cases it is not possible to report on the response times or outcomes of complaints as the response is not known. Such complaints are classified as "response not known".
Please note that historic information may change slightly as the data will have been updated to allow for further reporting on these complaints in subsequent years.
Issues raised
For any one complaint a maximum of three different types of issue may be recorded for national returns and for this reason the total number of issues recorded may be greater than the total number of complaints.
Staff group
For each complaint an associated staff group is attributed. This does not imply, however, that a particular member of staff in that group was directly involved in the circumstances leading to the complaint. For example, a complaint against a hospital for its lack of car parking facilities would be coded under "Division administrative staff/members".
Time taken to acknowledge
The time taken to acknowledge a complaint is calculated using working days. Analysis for 2005/06 onwards has been updated to exclude public holidays, however analysis prior to 2005/06 does not take into account any local or national public holidays. Any investigation of a complaint completed within five days of receipt is notionally treated as if it had been acknowledged within three days, irrespective of whether a formal acknowledgement was actually made in that time.
Time taken to respond
The time taken to respond is calculated over 20 working days (20 working days is the equivalent of 28 calendar days). It should be noted that for analysis prior to 2005/06 public holidays are not taken into account when response times are calculated. Analysis for 2005/06 onwards has been updated to take account of public holidays.
Median time taken to respond
The median is a useful statistic for comparing response times between organisations. The median number of days taken to respond to a complaint is such that half of all complaints received were responded to in less than this time, and half were responded to in more than this time. Note that the median is used in preference to the mean (average) to ensure that complaints that took a long time to resolve do not skew the overall picture, which could present a misleading view of how long it takes to deal with complaints on the whole.
Calculation of times
The time taken to acknowledge and respond to a complaint is calculated using the date of receipt of complaint at, and the date of despatch from, the Division or NHS Board. This excludes any delivery time between the complainant and the Division/NHS Board.
Private sector
In cases where the complainant has complained directly to a private sector organisation that is providing NHS care, information about the complaint may not necessarily be reported.
Outside agencies
Details of investigations instigated by outside agencies (e.g. Police, Health Service Commissioner, Coroner's Court) are not included in the national returns.
Abbreviations
| HCHS | Hospital and Community Health Services |
| FHS | Healths Services |
| IR | Independent Review |
| LR | Local Resolution |
| ISD | Information Services Division (formally Information & Statistics Division) |
| SNBTS | Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service |
| SAS | Scottish Ambulance Service |
| QIS | Quality Improvement Scotland |
| NES | National Education Scotland |
| NSS | National Services Scotland |
| NWTC | National Waiting Times Centre |
| SHC | Scottish Health Council |
NHS reconfiguration
Figures are presented at Board level. Prior to 2004/05 the breakdown by Acute/Family Health Services is shown under each Board. For 2004/05 onwards the breakdown by Acute/Family Health Services Division is shown if available.
National Statistics
Unless otherwise specified, the figures contained in this publication are National Statistics. National Statistics releases are grouped under broad subject headings (themes); this release belongs to the Health and Care theme. Further details are available at www.statistics.gov.uk.
