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What is the impact of COVID-19 on complaints against doctors?

Vedamurthy Adhiyaman and Peter Hobson
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.7861/clinmed.Let.22.2.2
Clin Med March 2022
Vedamurthy Adhiyaman
Consultant geriatrician, Glan Clwyd Hospital, Rhyl, UK
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Peter Hobson
Principal healthcare scientist, professor and senior lecturer, Glan Clwyd Hospital, Rhyl, UK
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Editor – The COVID-19 pandemic is causing unprecedented demand upon healthcare services across the world. This had led to a multitude of changes such as the cancellation of hospital visiting, suspending elective work, redeployment, shielding, working from home etc. Many patients died alone in hospitals, causing tremendous distress and anguish to families. In addition, a significant number of patients died due to nosocomial COVID-19 infection.1,2 So, what impact did these changes have on concerns against healthcare services? To explore this, we analysed the data available in the public domain on complaints against medical practitioners in the UK.

The number of complaints recorded by NHS England in the first quarter of 2020 (April–June) that coincided with the first peak of the pandemic was significantly fewer than compared with the previous year (14,142 vs 28, 849).3 However, the numbers gradually increased in the next three quarters, but was still lower than the previous years (Table 1). In Scotland, the number of complaints fell from 32,438 in 2019–2020 to 24,905 in 2020–2021 (Table 2).4 Also, the number of doctors referred to the General Medical Council (GMC) in 2020 was the lowest reported since 2014.5 Unfortunately, we were unable to get data for Wales and Northern Ireland despite an extensive search and contacting the relevant bodies.

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Table 1.

New complaints to NHS England

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Table 2.

Complaints to NHS Scotland and the General Medical Council

In view of the terse data available, we could only speculate the reasons behind this pattern. Firstly, at the beginning of the pandemic there was a great sense of appreciation and empathy towards keyworkers, especially for healthcare workers. One example of this was when the nation cohesively stood out once a week to demonstrate their appreciation. Secondly, a reduction in the number of elective activities and fewer interventions meant that fewer complications resulted in fewer complaints. Lastly, when healthcare professionals were redeployed to take on roles that were outside their expertise, the GMC issued guidance on when one should be referred regarding concerns on their fitness to practice.6

The initial dip in complaints was followed by a gradual increase due to poor communication; suspended visiting; nosocomial COVID-19 infections; inadequate care due to staff shortages caused by sickness and isolation; frequent last-minute cancellations of procedures; and waning sympathy. The latest report from the GMC revealed that two-thirds (65%) of doctors have struggled to provide a sufficient level of care to patients due to high workload and burnout.7

A survey involving primary care clinicians revealed that two-thirds feared facing a complaint and more than a third had already received a complaint related to the pandemic.8 The commonest reasons quoted were increased waiting times, delays in accessing tests, poor communication and online consultation. It is likely that complaints would continue to increase unless we find an effective way of dealing with the effects of the pandemic.

  • © Royal College of Physicians 2022. All rights reserved.

References

  1. ↵
    1. Jewkes SV
    , Zhang Y, Nicholl DJ. Nosocomial spread of COVID-19: lessons learned from an audit on a stroke/neurology ward in a UK district general hospital. Clin Med 2020;20:e173–7.
    OpenUrlAbstract/FREE Full Text
  2. ↵
    1. Soe WM
    , Balakrishnan A, Adhiyaman V. Nosocomial COVID-19 on a green ward. Clin Med 2020;20:e282.
    OpenUrlFREE Full Text
  3. ↵
    1. NHS Digital
    . Data on written complaints in the NHS. NHS. https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/data-on-written-complaints-in-the-nhs [Accessed 26 December 2021].
  4. ↵
    1. Public Health Scotland
    . Annual report on complaints: 2019/20. Public Health Scotland, 2020. www.publichealthscotland.scot/publications/annual-report-on-complaints/annual-report-on-complaints-201920 [Accessed 26 December 2021].
  5. ↵
    1. General Medical Council
    . Fitness to practise. GMC. https://data.gmc-uk.org/gmcdata/home/#/reports [Accessed 4 February 2021].
  6. ↵
    1. General Medical Council
    . COVID-19: assessing the risk to public protection posed by a doctor as a result of concerns about their practice during the pandemic. GMC. www.gmc-uk.org/-/media/documents/dc13028-guidance-for-decision-makers-on-covid-19–external-version-_pdf-83985701.pdf. Accessed 4th February 2021.
  7. ↵
    1. General Medical Council
    . Working during the pandemic. GMC. 2021. www.gmc-uk.org/-/media/documents/somep-2021-chapter-1_pdf-88510452.df?la=en&hash=AA65440373D5A7E78A37A1F584402FFC7A2B47DE [Accessed 28 December 2021].
  8. ↵
    1. Medical Defence Union
    . Fear of complaints pushing doctors to breaking point, warns MDU. MDU, 2021. www.themdu.com/press-centre/press-releases/fear-of-complaints-pushing-doctors-to-breaking-point-warns-mdu [Accessed 28 December 2021].
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What is the impact of COVID-19 on complaints against doctors?
Vedamurthy Adhiyaman, Peter Hobson
Clinical Medicine Mar 2022, 22 (2) 187-188; DOI: 10.7861/clinmed.Let.22.2.2

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What is the impact of COVID-19 on complaints against doctors?
Vedamurthy Adhiyaman, Peter Hobson
Clinical Medicine Mar 2022, 22 (2) 187-188; DOI: 10.7861/clinmed.Let.22.2.2
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