Current evidence on organisational learning from patient complaints
Patient complaints provide excellent opportunities to improve care. Indeed, they are just as valid as the learning opportunities reported by staff through patient safety systems (Clwyd and Hart, 2013; Christiaans-Dingelhoff et al, 2011). Such complaints can be defined as an expression of grievance or dissatisfaction with a healthcare setting or service, which can be raised by the patient or someone on their behalf (Reader et al, 2014).
Currently, in the UK, a patient can complain verbally or in writing to the healthcare provider within 12 months of an event taking place (NHS England (NHSE) and NHS Improvement (NHSI), 2016).
Organisational learning
In 2018/19, NHSE paid nearly £9bn in successful litigation claims to patients or their relatives; however, the true cost to the NHS may be much higher as long-term damages payments are often paid for the rest of the recipient’s life (NHS Resolution, 2019). This figure is £2bn more than in the previous 12 months (NHS Resolution, 2019).
Government reports, such as that by Clwyd and Hart (2013), have suggested that many of the litigation cases could have been avoided if the NHS, as an organisation, had learnt from previous complaints. This process is known as ‘organisational learning’ and can be defined as the dissemination of information to the organisation as a whole to improve quality (Dodds and Kodate, 2011).
