[holding answer 18 December 2007]: The Healthcare Commission has had responsibility for the second, independent review, stage of the national health service complaints process since the end of July 2004.
Information about the number of complaints the Commission has received is set out as follows:
Number 2004-05 15,867 2005-06 7,644 2006-07 7,696 2007-08 25,515 1 Part year only 2 To 14 December
The following information refers to cases processed at second stage by the NHS prior to July 2004, on cases requesting independent review, and cases referred to independent review panels:
Requests Referred to review panel 2002-03 3,600 450 2003-04 3,739 416
Not all requests would have been referred to an independent panel, but they would all have undergone some degree of second stage process in order to determine whether consideration by an independent review panel would be appropriate.
Information for earlier years is not available in the form requested.