Quality of Care Report - Ballarat Health Services

What Happens if youhave a Complaint?Complaints are seen by Ballarat HealthService as an opportunity to improvethe health care we offer our patients.We encourage our consumers to let usknow if there is anything we could dobetter.We acknowledge that we don’t alwaysget it right in the delivery of our service;however, we are committed toaddressing patient concerns andimproving the way we deliver services.Having a complaints system that workswell is another means for you to haveinput into our service.BHS encourages anyone with concernsto raise them with the staff member incharge in the first instance, as concernscan often be addressed immediately, ina sensitive and confidential manner.For those not comfortable talking tostaff, or who are not happy with theway staff handled their complaint, theBHS Consumer Liaison Officer willfollow up the complaint. Eachcomplaint is assessed, investigatedaddressed, resolution attempted andquality improvement opportunitiesidentified.Complaints are managed under theguidelines of the Health ServicesCommissioner (HSC). The HSC criteriaare used to rate complaints andoutcomes in terms of the type of issue,the level of seriousness and the actiontaken in closure.All consumers who attend BHS havethe right to make a complaintinpatients,outpatients, residents’visitors, relatives and carers. Allcomplaints are treated as confidentialand not recorded in the medical file.The Consumer Liaison Officer also has arole in educating and consulting withstaff, helping them manage complexpatient and family interactions.In the past year considerable work hasbeen undertaken to try and improvecommunication with our consumers.The Emergency Department staff have80%70%60%50%40%30%20%10%attended a communication workshopfor frontline staff.We also know that timely resolution ofcomplaints is important to consumersand therefore we endeavor toacknowledge and open communicationlinks within three working days fromreceipt of a written complaint with theaim of early resolution.0%Strongly Disagree Disagree Agree Strongly AgreeStaff from feedback/complaints 18% 9% 9% 64%service were helpfulProcess was easy to follow 64% 36%and understandComplaint was acknowledged 27% 73%in a satisfactory timeStaff listened to what I had 10% 20% 70%to saySatisfaction with how the 45% 55%feedback/complaint was handledSatisfaction with the outcome 18% 36% 46%BHS provides a feedback mechanism so the process we use to facilitate complaint managementcan be evaluated by the consumers that use it. Results achieved are detailed above.“How does the Victorian Public Hospital Charter meet the challenges of thenew Victorian Charter for Human Rights and Responsibilities?”Fifteen senior staff members at BHS and fifteen members of the public were invitedto share in a unique learning and consultation workshop on this question in April thisyear. The forum was an opportunity for consumers and staff to learn from theVictorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission on the content andimplications of the Human Rights Charter for Ballarat Health and consumers andcommunity members. The Victorian Patient Charter is to be reviewed during 2008,the forum allowed for direct feedback on the review to the Victorian Public PatientCharter partly based on the new entitlements and responsibilities arising from theVictorian Charter for Human rights and responsibilities.13Ballarat Health Services Quality of Care Report 2007-08