Complaints - DHSC

Summary

The request sought complaint statistics for specific medical specialties and clinician names from 2010 to 2020. The authority provided aggregated data for 2018-2020 but refused data for 2010-2018 due to system limitations and withheld clinician names citing personal data exemptions.

Key Facts

• Complaint data for 2010-2018 could not be extracted by specialty as it was stored under broader divisions (Medical, Surgical, Women's and Children's).
• Complaint data for 2018-2020 was successfully provided for Gastroenterology, General Surgery, Urology, and Obstetrics & Gynaecology.
• Clinician names were withheld entirely as absolutely exempt personal information.
• The response was issued on 28 July 2020 regarding a request received on 30 June 2020.
• The Department of Health and Social Care uses the Prism system for historical data and Datix for recent data.

Data Disclosed

• 492
• 699
• 121
• 15
• 36
• 12
• 3
• 19
• 8
• 2
• 0
• 4
• 2010
• 2018
• 2020
• 01/01/2010
• 04/12/2018
• 05/12/2018
• 02/07/2020
• 1349444

Exemptions Cited

• Section 11(3)a (Practical refusal: information not held or cannot be found after reasonable steps)
• Section 25 (Absolutely exempt personal information)

Original Request

Please can you provide the following details related to complaints raised against DHSC's services from 2010 to the present day: Number of complaints raised related to each of the Scheduled Care areas of: Gastroenterology, General Surgery, Urology, Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Number of complaints upheld. Clinician(s) to whom the complaint relates (if possible)

Data Tables (3)

Full Response Text

Interim Chief Executive: Kathryn Magson Freedom of Information Team Crookall House Demesne Road Douglas Isle of Man IM1 3QA

Tel: (01624) 642621 Email: dhsc@foi.gov.im Website: www.gov.im/dhsc Our ref: 1349444 28th July 2020

Dear ###

We write further to your request which was received on the 30th June 2020 and states:

“Please can you provide the following details related to complaints raised against DHSC's services from 2010 to the present day: Number of complaints raised related to each of the Scheduled Care areas of: Gastroenterology, General Surgery, Urology, Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Number of complaints upheld. Clinician(s) to whom the complaint relates (if possible)"

Our response to your request is as follows: I have detailed below the information. Number of complaints raised related to each of the Scheduled Care areas of: Gastroenterology, General Surgery, Urology, Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Department of Health and Social Care (“the Department”) is unable to provide the information you have requested. This is in line with section 11(3)a of the Act, as a practical refusal reason applies; namely we do not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find the information that you have requested. We have however listed the information that we do hold. From 01/01/2010 – 04/12/2018 the information was sorted on the Prism system which we are unable to extract the information for Gastroenterology, General Surgery, Urology, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, as this was sorted by Medical, Surgical and Women’s and Children’s Division:

Hospital’s Division – Prism 01/01/2010 – 04/12/2018 Division name Number of Complaints reported on Prism Medical (all specialities) 492 Surgical (all specialities) 699 Women’s and Children’s 121 Maternity 15 Hospital’s Directorate – Datix 05/12/2018 – 02/07/2020 Division name Number of Complaints reported on Datix Digestive Diseases (Gastroenterology, Colorectal Surgery & Endoscopy Services) 36 General Surgery 12 Urology 3 Obstetrics & Gynaecology 19 Number of complaints upheld. Hospital’s Division – Prism 01/01/2010 – 04/12/2018 – Unable to Provide this information from Prism. Hospital’s Directorate – Datix 05/12/2018 – 02/07/2020 Division name Number of Complaints reported on Datix Upheld Not Upheld Partially Upheld Ongoing Digestive Diseases (Gastroenterology, Colorectal Surgery & Endoscopy Services) 36 8 8 19 1 General Surgery 12 2 4 6 0 Urology 3 0 2 1 0 Obstetrics & Gynaecology 19 4 9 6 0 Clinician(s) to whom the complaint relates (if possible) While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide any of the information you have requested because it is absolutely exempt under section 25 of the Act (absolutely exempt personal information). The reasons why that exemption applies are that The Department of Health and Social Care is satisfied that the information amounts to personal data under the Data Protection Act 2018. Therefore we are unable to provide this information in regards to the Clinician’s involved.

Please quote the reference number 1349444 in any future communications.

Your right to request a review

If you are unhappy with this response to your freedom of information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post.

An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review . If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on; 1. Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or 2. Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.
In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision. More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im. Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi.

I will now close your request as of this date.

Yours sincerely