PEOPLE can have confidence in a new complaints system introduced by Burnley Health Care NHS Trust, says the chairman of a local health watchdog.

Frank Clifford of the Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale Community Health Council, was commenting on the findings of the Ombudsman into a complaint by a woman whose mother died in Burnley General Hospital.

She was unhappy about various aspects of her mother's treatment and applied for access to her medical records.

Copies were not made available until three months after the application instead of within the 40 days required by law. Some items had also been omitted.

A meeting was arranged to allow the woman to discuss her complaints with the consultant responsible for her mother's care but that was abandoned when the consultant, acting on advice, refused to attend in the presence of a CHC representative.

The Ombudsman said he did not find it unreasonable for the consultant to follow the advice of his defence organisation. But he upheld the complaint about the delay in giving access to records. He also upheld the complaint about the abandonment of the meeting to the extent that it could have been avoided had there been better communication among Trust staff.

The Trust has apologised for the shortcomings and amended their procedures to provide closer monitoring of applications for access to records.

The new procedures will ensure that greater care is taken when copying records and that consultants are properly informed of their obligations under the Access to Health Records Act.

They have agreed to ensure that all those attending meetings with complainants are told who else will be present.

Coun Clifford said the new system would benefit patients in the future. He said he was satisfied the public could have confidence in the new procedure.

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