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February 2025 - Health

Over half of the people who experienced poor NHS care in the last year took no action survey finds: A recent survey has revealed that while almost a quarter (24%) of respondents reported experiencing poor NHS care in the past year, more than half (56%) chose not to take any action, and fewer than one in ten (9%) made a formal complaint. Reasons cited included dissatisfaction with the complaints process, a lack of confidence that their complaint would be taken seriously and a belief that their complaint would not effect change.

The research conducted by YouGov on behalf of Healthwatch surveyed 2,650 adults in England in October 2024. These participants had reported experiencing poor NHS care since October 2023. Additionally, a nationally representative sample of 2,042 adults in England was asked whether they had received poor NHS care during the same timeframe and if they felt confident in making a complaint. Among the general population, less than half (48%) of the 2,042  people polled reported that they would make a complaint if they felt they had received poor care and over a quarter (27%) expressed they wouldn’t feel confident to make a complaint.

Among those who expressed a lack of confidence in making a complaint, almost a third (30%) said they felt the NHS might not take their concerns seriously and a fifth (20%) were afraid that complaining would negatively affect their ongoing treatment. Over 3 in 10 respondents (33%) said they didn’t believe the NHS response would be effective while nearly the same number (34%) did not feel the NHS would use their complaint to improve service quality. The survey also found that nearly a fifth of respondents (19%) were unaware of who they should contact to make a complaint.

Among the respondents who made a formal complaint, over half (56%) expressed dissatisfaction with the complaints process and the same percentage reported being unhappy with the outcome of their complaint. The main issues mentioned included dismissive or ineffective responses and delays in response times - with 43% of those who made a formal complaint waiting more than six months for a resolution. Additionally, there was also confusion about complaints that involved multiple NHS organisations.

Louise Ansari, Healthwatch Chief Executive said: “We know that public satisfaction with the NHS is at record low levels, with too many patients receiving poor care. When patients feel their complaints are not taken seriously or don’t take any action due to a complex system, services miss out on vital information to help them improve. We need a step change in how people’s complaints are handled and acted on. Healthcare leaders should focus on developing a culture of listening and learning from complaints across the sector.”

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