COMPLAINTS about the NHS in East Lancashire have fallen dramatically -- bucking the national trend.

The health service Ombudsman issued a report showing a record 50 per cent increase in complaints during 2002/3 compared to the previous year.

But figures for East Lancashire's hospitals have revealed that at Burnley General Hospital, complaints fell from 318 in 1998/99 to 173 in 2002-03 and from 218 to 178 at Blackburn Royal Infirmary and Queen's Park Hospital over a similar period. Ombudsman Ann Abraham's report for England for 2002-03 showed her office received 3,994 complaints during this period, compared to 2,660 received the previous year. East Lancashire Hospital's Trust Director of Nursing and Quality Richard Gildert said: "We are delighted with the progress being made by the organization in relation to reducing the numbers of complaints.

"We are proactive in many areas, including training our staff in good communications and customer care issues, together with having easily accessible modern matrons, to ensure this downward trend continues."

He also said the introduction of Patient Advice and Liaison Services (PALS) officers, who provide patients with a highly accessible point inside the hospitals for queries and information, had also helped the figures go down.

The increase nationally, was mainly due to a high number of complaints about NHS funding for care of elderly and disabled people.

In February this year Ms Abrahams published a report about care of the elderly and disabled people.

Gordon Lishman, director general of Age Concern England, said many older people and their families were suffering anxiety and heartache because of the confusion about who should pay for care. He said: "Since the Ombudsman's special report on the subject, more than 1,000 callers have contacted our information line and yet more people have contacted Age Concerns locally for advice. Guidance about who qualifies for funding is hugely complex and baffles health care professionals, advisers and older people.

"The Department of Health must provide straightforward guidance and make clear what the state will provide and to whom as a matter of urgency." The Ombudsman's annual report shows that overall she issued 179 investigation reports and upheld around 75 per cent of the complaints.

Around 90 per cent involved the care and treatment given to patients and often matters had been made worse by poor complaint handling by the health organisation involved.