Written complaints to Airedale Hospital have fallen

Figures from the Health and Social Care Information Centre show Airedale NHS Foundation Trust – responsible for the hospital – had 67 written complaints in 2012/13, a 6.9 per cent drop from 72 in 2011/12.

Debra Fairley, deputy director of nursing at the trust, said: “We aim to resolve any concerns raised by patients, and their relatives and carers, at the time they are raised, and our Patient Advice and Liaison Service team work with hospital staff to do this, wherever possible.

“While we are pleased the number of formal complaints is less than last year, we are never complacent and will always investigate any we receive thoroughly and continue to try to resolve as many issues as possible when they happen.”

Complaints to Bradford District Care Trust have risen.

The organisation has been the main provider of mental health and learning disabilities services across the district since 2002, and on April 1, 2011, the majority of NHS Bradford and Airedale’s community health services were transferred to it.

The care trust had 76 complaints in 2011/12 and 84 in 2012/13, a 16.9 per cent increase.

Deputy chief executive, Nicola Lees, said: “Taking into account the transfer of community services in 2011, the rise in the number of complaints is not seen as a significant increase.”