Written question asked by Jim Cunningham (Labour) on Tuesday, 15 January 2002, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 21 January 2002. It was answered by Lord Hutton of Furness (Labour) on Monday, 21 January 2002 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many complaints about the conduct of hospital practitioners have been received in each year from 1997. - Inc table.

Answer: Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many complaints about the conduct of hospital practitioners have been received in each year from 1997. [28318] Mr. Hutton: National data collection on complaints includes data on the number of complaints made by profession, and separately on the subject of complaint. The table shows the total number of complaints, complaints against medical staff, and what percentage of the total the latter represents. The complaints against medical staff cover a range of issues and not only questions of conduct. Hospital and community health services _________________________________________________________________________________________________. 2000-01 1999- 2000 1998-99 1997-98 Total number of complaints 95,994 86,536 86,013 88,757 Complaints against medical 43,930 38,261 37,382 36,883 staff Percentage of total 45.7 44.2 43.4 41.5 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. The number of complaints received by the GMC about doctor's conduct are as follows: _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Year Number 2000 4,343 1999 3,001 1998 3,066 1997 2,687 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. The figures for 2001 are not yet published but the indications are that the 2001 figure is similar to the 2000 figure.

Secondary information