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Case ref:201401863
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Date:October 2014
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Body:Forth Valley NHS Board
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Sector:Health
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Outcome:Upheld, recommendations
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Subject:complaints handling
Summary
Mr C, who is a prisoner, complained that the prison health centre had unreasonably failed to explain why his complaints were being managed in line with NHS Scotland's policy for dealing with habitual and vexatious complaints. In response to our enquiries, the board confirmed that the prison health centre inappropriately applied the incorrect version of a national policy and said that the decision to manage his complaints in line with that policy had now been revoked.
In addition, Mr C said the board failed to respond appropriately to his complaint about the decision to manage his complaints in line with the policy. In response to our enquiry, the board said that they were not in a position to confirm that the steps taken by the prison health centre in responding to Mr C's complaint were appropriate, given that the prison health centre had implemented the incorrect policy.
In light of the information available, we upheld Mr C's complaints.
Recommendations
We recommended that the Board:
- take steps to ensure staff within the prison health centre are fully aware of the correct complaints policy and its procedures.