Responses by hospital complaints managers to recommendations for systemic reforms by health complaints commissions

Abstract

Objective. This paper explores how hospital complaints managers react to recommendations for systemic quality reforms by health complaints commissions in response to complaints by patients in Queensland and New South Wales. Methods. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with complaints managers in 17 hospitals. Interview transcripts were then thematically analysed and data on responses to health complaint commissions was organised in relation to Valerie Braithwaite’s typology of motivational postures. Results. Respondents supported involvement by an independent authority where patients had serious complaints about the services they received in hospital, but wanted more negotiation with commissions on service improvement recommendations. Conclusions. Hospital complaints managers mostly responded as virtuous or rational actors to the symbolic power of complaints commissions. This maybe context dependent because Australian health commissions operate within a pro-reform context as a result of recent publicity around health system failures.