LATEST PHSO STATS FOR 2022/23 ANALYSED

PHSO 2022-23 STATS - An Analysis by Keeping the NHS Honest Rev 0.pdf

We hope that the attached summary is self-explanatory for everyone to easily see and understand the extremely small sample of Complaints elevated to the PHSO (Ombudsman) that reach the investigation stage.

This is small extract from the attached - and tells its own story:

The numbers don't lie. From more than 27,000 complaints submitted to the PHSO, less than 700 were actually filtered through their process to be investigated. Of those, nearly a 1/3rd we still not upheld at all!

The PHSO try to paint themselves in a much better light - trying to demonstrate a large percentage of cases being upheld in some way - at 63% The very last figure in the main table. This is a perfect use of the old adage that statistics can say whatever you want them to. In this case, the 63% is a ration of cases that have been upheld in full or part (even a very small or singular element) against the cases deemed fit to actually be investigated. When compared to the total number of cases submitted this 63% falls dramatically - to an unbelievable 1.45%. Clearly, a drastic and significant difference.

What can we take from this?

Firstly, we can see that only a tiny fraction of all cases submitted to the Ombudsman are investigated (2.34%). This means 97.66% are NOT investigated.

So, the chances of a case being investigated is very small indeed.

If you add in the latest Service Update by the Ombudsman, this figure is going to reduce even further. Very concerning to every patient!

What if we look at it another way? Let's take the values the Ombudsman wants us to see - 63% of cases investigated being upheld in some way. Whilst we know these cases have been whittled down and as many cases rejected for any number of reasons - but what if this percentage was applied across the board? What if this applied to all 27,000 cases? What then? It would mean mean more than 17,000 cases would have been upheld in some way. Compare that to the current figure of 399. Compare that - 399 to 17,000. This figure is obviously inaccurate - and unlikely to correct - but the potential is there. The real value would be somewhere in between. Even if it was right in the middle, that would still mean more than 8,000 case being upheld in some capacity. It's still hugely different to the 399 in this yearly report.