An audit of the handling of medical negligence complaints by a health board.

An audit of the handling of medical negligence complaints recorded by the Lothian Health during 1991 and 1992 was undertaken, to ascertain whether the process was providing an adequate response, or whether improvements could result in fewer potential claims proceeding. A complaints database was set up using d-Base IV and a personal computer, as there was not an adequate system of data recording in existence at the time. Analysis of data collected within the Department of Public Health Medicine revealed that there was potential for reducing the number of medical negligence complaints proceeding to litigation by the prompt handling of the complaints as recommended by the Wilson Report. The relative risk of a medical negligence claim for hospital doctors was greatest for the specialties of Accident and Emergency and Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and these specialties had the greatest difficulty in returning medical case notes or consultant reports quickly. The potential for both improved patient satisfaction and financial savings are identified in the handling of complaints, and the requirement for a complaints database to allow monitoring and audit of the complaints process, and implementation of the recommendations of the Wilson Report, are noted.