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Many of the complaints brought against the NHS are still being caused by poor communication by health service staff, the health service ombudsman, Ann Abraham, has reported.
In a selection of her latest investigations Ms Abraham said common problems included poor handling of complaints, failure to obtain informed consent, poor nursing care, and lack of liaison between services.
"If only all health service staff made sure that they listened to patients and their carers, communicated clearly with them and with each other, then made a note of what had been said, the scope for later misunderstanding and dispute would be reduced enormously,"...