Does the NHS communicate properly?

In her latest report, Ann Abraham highlights the case of a woman placed on an unstoppable rehabilitation programme against her wishes.

In another case a cancer patient's wounds were left to discharge pools of fluid on the floor.

Ministers have responded by putting out plans for reform of the NHS complaints system for public consultation.

The Ombudsman also flags up the case of a man told by his consultant surgeon he had inoperable pancreatic cancer only to be informed later that in fact he had gallstones.

Ms Abraham said: "If only all health service staff made sure that they listened to patients and their carers, communicated clearly with them and with each other, then made a note of what had been said, the scope for later misunderstanding and dispute would be reduced enormously."

Neglect

In a complaint against Southern Derbyshire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, a woman was admitted to a surgical ward in the later stages of cancer.

Roughly one million patients have contact with the NHS every 36 hours, and the vast majority have a positive experience. Rosie Winterton Health minister

Her family complained that she was neglected by nurses, left unattended for long periods of time and given inadequate personal care.

The report noted that the ulcers on her legs discharged fluid which was allowed to collect in pools on the floor around her bed.

The family also complained that a decision not to resuscitate the patient was not communicated to them or her in any way by the staff.

The Ombudsman said the record keeping in this case was "particularly poor".

She did not find that the woman had been neglected but "expressed concern" about other aspects of her nursing care.

Broken hip

In another case involving Tameside and Glossop Primary Care Trust, a woman who contacted social services to ask for night sitters after she fractured her hip was placed on a rehabilitation programme without her consent.

The woman complained that health professionals kept turning up at her house with "useless gadgets", while refusing to give the assistance she asked for.

When she eventually asked to be sent to a private nursing home, a misunderstanding led to an ambulance being organised to take her to the Lake District rather than a home of a similar name.

The Ombudsman recommended that the trust reimburse the patient for the cost of the private night sitters she had been forced to employ because her real needs had not been met.

Jonathan Ellis, a policy manager at Help the Aged, said: "Yet again, the Health Service Ombudsman has highlighted the total inadequacy of systems to ensure that older people with continuing care needs have their care properly funded by the NHS.

"With 3,000 complaints registered with the Ombudsman, this is an issue in urgent need of attention."

Reform

Meanwhile, ministers have published proposals to reform the NHS complaints system which they say will make it more accessible and responsive to patients' needs.

The plans include measures for the majority of complaints to be dealt with informally, and as quickly as possible.

It is also planned to extend the time limit for making a complaint from six months to a year.

In addition, the new Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection will be made responsible for conducting independent reviews of complaints referred by people unhappy with the response from their local NHS

Health Minister Rosie Winterton said: "Roughly one million patients have contact with the NHS every 36 hours, and the vast majority have a positive experience.

"But when they are not satisfied with the service they receive, patients deserve a robust, effective complaints system."

Dr Hugh Stewart, of the doctor's insurance company the Medical Defence Union, said: "In our experience, the complaints procedure works very well and it's important that any changes made to it should not stand in the way of patients receiving a full and frank explanation and an apology if appropriate."