There are currently two separate statutory processes for handling complaints about health and social care services. NHS organisations are accountable to the Department of Health and social care services are accountable through their local authority, whilst adult social care rests with the Department. There are differences in the numbers of stages and timescales involved, and in the arrangements for advocacy support and independent investigation. The Health Service Ombudsman is responsible for the ultimate review and decision on NHS complaints and the Local Government Ombudsman for social care complaints. The NAO is this report (HCP 853, session 2007-08), has undertaken an evaluation of existing performance, capability, capacity and costs of complaints handling in both health and adult social care. The NAO has set out a number of findings and recommendations, including: that where people are dissatisfied, there is a low number who make formal complaints; that navigating the complaints systems is not straightforward, partcularly for health service users; only a small proportion of NHS complainants are aware, or receive national advocacy support; that the culture and attitudes of the organisations are often a barrier to responsive complaint handling; neither the health or social care organisations know the cost of complaints handling; that pursuing a complaint requires considerable time, determination and resilience.

Since publication of the original edition in 1996, this book has established itself as an essential text for occupational therapists. It offers an understanding of the law relating to their practice, but is written to be accessible for those who have no prior legal knowledge. The text provides valuable information for occupational therapists employed in health and social services, as well as the law relevant to private practitioners. The book includes chapters on all the main client groups and presents the relevant specialist law. Students and teachers of occupational therapy will find the chapters on professional registration, education, training and research of particular interest. The third edition has been substantially revised to cover significant changes in legislation since the previous version. There is also a brand new chapter on the subject of death and dying. Legal Aspects of Occupational Therapy remains a key resource for the occupational therapy student, practitioner and service manager.

Government and Information: The Law Relating to Access, Disclosure and their Regulation is the leading text offering comprehensive and practical advice on the access, disclosure and retention of government records under UK, EU and ECHR requirements. It is essential reading for all those dealing with public authority information. The fifth edition is extensively revised following numerous developments in both UK and EU law as well as the ever expanding case law on information rights under statutory, Convention and common law provisions. Legislation: Justice and Security Act 2013; Crime and Courts Act 2013 (s 34 in relation to press standards following Leveson); Re-use of Public Sector Information Regulations 2015 Investigatory Powers Bill 2016; Environmental Information Regulations 2004; General Data Protection Regulation 2016; Key cases since the last edition include: Evans v Attorney General [2015] UKSC 21 - the SC ruled that the Attorney General had acted unlawfully in issuing a veto preventing disclosure Kennedy v Charities Commission [2014] UKSC 20 - Supreme Court extended the ambit of the common law in relation to access to information and transparency Case 362/14 Schrems [2015]) - involving data transfer to the USA PJS v Newsgroup Newspapers ltd [2016] UKSC 26 – developing the law of personal privacy

Over the last fifty years, British patients have been transformed into consumers. This book considers how and why the figure of the patient-consumer was brought into being, paying particular attention to the role played by patient organisations. Making the patient-consumer explores the development of patient-consumerism from the 1960s to 2010 in relation to seven key areas. Patient autonomy, representation, complaint, rights, information, voice and choice were all central to the making of the patient-consumer. These concepts were used initially by patient organisations, but by the 1990s the government had taken over as the main actor shaping ideas about patient-consumerism. This volume is the first empirical, historical account of a fundamental shift in modern British health policy and practice. The book will be of use to historians, public policy analysts and all those attempting to better understand the nature of contemporary healthcare.

The report reviews how citizens can influence education, health and social protection services through access to information and opportunities to hold providers accountable. It takes stock of international evidence and experience from projects supported by the World Bank to identify knowledge gaps, key questions and areas for further work.

Advocacy is an essential skill for social workers who need to be able to speak confidently on behalf of service-users in a range of situations. In this new book, Jane Dalrymple and Jane Boylan explore the theory and research behind advocacy to demonstrate how to achieve best practice. Key topics covered include: - Independent advocacy - Supporting self-advocacy and decision-making - Challenging oppression - Negotiating with organisations Each chapter includes rich case examples, which help readers bring the discussion into the real life practice context. Effective Advocacy in Social Work will be valuable reading for those studying social work at undergraduate and postgraduate level, as well as those working in practice and in interprofessional contexts. Jane Dalrymple is Senior Lecturer at the University of the West of England. Jane Boylan is Senior Lecturer at Keele University.

The Health Committee believes the role of the Health Service Ombudsman needs a complete overhaul if it is to provide an effective appeals process for the complaints system. The Ombudsman's current terms of reference prevent her from launching a formal investigation unless she is satisfied in advance that there will be a 'worthwhile outcome'. This requirement represents a significant obstacle to the successful operation of the complaints system. Another key finding is that there continues to be unacceptably wide variation in operation of complaints procedures within the NHS. The NHS still has no national protocol for the classification and reporting of complaints, and reporting by Foundation Trusts remains voluntary. NHS culture is too often defensive and the service remains to be persuaded to adopt a more open culture. All providers of NHS care should in future owe a duty of candour to their commissioners under which they provide: timely reports, prepared to an agreed protocol, of all complaints made to them by NHS patients; in cases when complaints are upheld, Complaints Action Plans to address the weaknesses which have been revealed; progress reports of the actions required under the Plans. The inquiry also examined the arrangements under which the NHS handles litigation by patients, concluding that the existing clinical negligence framework (based on qualifying liability in tort) offers patients the best approach. It does not support a switch to no-fault compensation. The committee also recommends that Ministers should review the regulatory framework that governs the activities of claims management companies.