A breakdown of emails sent to the Southern health system’s feedback email show 40.3% of complaints related to communication with patients — just over double the number of grievances about standard of treatment.
Released under the Official Information Act, the data also showed Dunedin Hospital’s emergency department and ophthalmology outpatients were the areas most under fire.
It provided a breakdown of the 248 emails about Dunedin services sent to the Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora (HNZ) Southern feedback email address between March and May.
As one email could cover multiple topics, the breakdown tally covered 292 issues, more than the number of emails received.
There were 144 general complaints, as well as four Health and Disability Commissioner complaints, and one ministerial complaint.
Sixty of these, or 40.3%, were about communication with patients.
There were also 24 complaints about communication with family or care providers, and another 40 about "insufficient information".
The most common clinical complaint was standard of treatment, which was raised 29 times.
Delays in treatment, staff attitudes and medications received 25 complaints each.
People expressed concern for a wide range of areas, from adult mental health and anaesthesia to vascular surgery medical staff and youth specialty services.
However, the ED had 20 complaints, making it the area with the highest number.
Behind it were ophthalmology outpatients, with 13 complaints, orthopaedic medical staff, with 11 complaints, and ward 3 surgical, with 10 complaints.
People did not only contact the email to complain — there were 22 suggestions, and a sizable minority of 105 emails contained compliments.
Many of these were about the ED, which received 29 compliments.
A further 27 compliments were about the ED’s medical staff.
Ward 3 surgical also came in for praise 20 times.
Much of the positive feedback was about the standard of care, especially the care provided by nurses and midwives, which was complimented 88 times.
It was also directed to communication with patients 22 times.
Food quality was a split issue, being complimented four times and complained about four times.
In a statement provided alongside the data, HNZ Southern said every consumer had the right to complain about a healthcare provider.
"Southern’s aim is to have a just culture in which people feel that they are treated fairly," the statement said.
"A just culture is characterised by learning from mistakes; openness and frankness; robust, safe systems; and management of behavioural choices."
Every complaint was investigated to ascertain the facts and determine what action, if any, should be taken.
"Health NZ Southern is committed to working with all parties involved in a complaint with these aims: to achieve satisfactory resolution of all issues and to make changes to its operations and services as appropriate."
HNZ did not respond to ODT questions by print deadline yesterday.
