NHS rapped over complaints handling

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In her annual report, Ms Abraham said there was "no excuse" for the poor service sometimes experienced by people who complained about healthcare.

She expressed disappointment that little progress was made in improving the handling of complaints over the past year, during which she upheld 62% of 1,139 complaints against the NHS in England.

Ms Abraham also announced her intention to issue a report on the tax credit system in 2007-08.

It will look at progress since her highly critical report in 2005 which highlighted widespread problems caused by the clawback of overpaid credits and led to a change in the way HM Revenue and Customs deal with complaints.

The Ombudsman's office upheld 74% of the 393 complaints about tax credits it dealt with last year.

Ms Abraham welcomed a Department of Health consultation, launched last month, on integrating the handling of health and social care complaints.

But she added: "In the NHS, it is disappointing that there was little progress nationally this year towards improved complaints handling.

"If new arrangements are to be successful, the standard of complaints handling in the NHS must improve substantially. I share this conviction with the Healthcare Commissioner, whose role as regulator is a powerful lever for improvement.

"I recognise that NHS bodies juggle many priorities, but there is no excuse for the poor service complainants sometimes receive."