Record number of complaints against doctors

Since 2009, the number of complaints has soared – and in the last year alone there has been a 23 per cent increase in the number of grievances lodged against doctors, figures suggest.

Last year 8,781 complaints were made, compared to 7,153 in 2010, according to the GMC.

One in every 64 doctors is likely to be investigated by the regulator.

The highest number of accusations were made about about men and older doctors, according to the GMC report.

Psychiatrists, GPs and surgeons also attracted the highest level of complaints compared with other specialities.

Almost three-quarters of all complaints made were about male doctors and 47 per cent were made about GPs.

Grievances were mostly about treatment plans and investigation skills, but there was also a large number of objections about effective communication and respect for patients.

The number of allegations about doctors’ communicating skills have risen by 69 per cent in the last year and complaints about lack of respect rose by 45 per cent.

The GMC, which oversees doctors practising medicine in the UK, said that the rising of objections has increased around the globe and not just in the UK.

Niall Dickson, chief executive of the GMC, stressed that the rise in complaints does not mean necessarily that medical standards are falling. He said that a number of factors could contribute to the figure – including the fact that patients are now more willing to complain about discrepancies than they were in the past, patients have greater expectations of the doctors and within the profession there is less tolerance for poor practice.

“The most stark fact to emerge this year is the rising tide of complaints against doctors,” he said.

“But I think more complaints does not necessarily mean worse care. Indeed the evidence is actually about rising levels of satisfaction with medical care across the country.

“We have been trying to understand why this number is going up, and we have a whole series of reasons why it may be.

“Firstly, there is better monitoring of medical practice. Secondly, doctors certainly are more willing to speak out and less willing to tolerate behaviour than they were a generation ago.

“Patient expectations are changing and they are more willing to complain. Allied to this is the digital age in which more information is available for patients.”

He said that the revalidation process – which will see doctors’ skills reassessed every year to ensure they are fit to practise – could also lead to a rise in the number of complaints.

The GMC said it was introducing a series of measures to deal with the rising number of complaints including an induction programme for doctors who are new to the medical register, new guides on good medical practice for both doctors and patients and a new helpline for doctors.

The report, titled State of Medical Education and Practice in the UK, also shows that the number of female doctors registered to work has reached its highest level – with more than 100,000 registered to practice in the UK.