Maternity ward complaints have dropped by almost 30% in Tayside, new figures reveal.
NHS Tayside said it is constantly developing and evolving its service to improve women’s experience during pregnancy.
There were 48 complaints in Tayside in 2015-16 which dropped to 46 the following year and reduced further to 34 last year.
Complaints included waiting for medication, co-ordination of treatment, a lack of communication and lost test results.
NHS Tayside midwifery team manager Phyllis Winters said: “It is important that we listen to the women within our service as we want to continue to deliver a service that meets the needs of women and their families.
“We actively encourage feedback through a variety of ways such as drop-in sessions, social media and feedback walls, as well as face-to-face meetings.
“Any areas identified for improvement are acted upon quickly.
“If staff are aware that any family has raised a concern regarding their care, they act promptly to resolve the issues before they escalate into a complaint.
“This open approach has resulted in fewer complaints as concerns are addressed early.
“We are constantly developing and evolving our service to improve women’s maternity experience.”
There were 14 complaints received by NHS Fife in 2015-16, 18 in 2016-17 and 12 last year which included staff attitude, lack of support and queries over care.
NHS Fife director of nursing Helen Wright, said they strive to provide the best possible experience and support families throughout pregnancy, birth and early childhood.
She said: “Our maternity service continues to receive nationwide attention for its efforts and innovations around safety and the continued provision of education for staff.”
Recent maternity enhancements at NHS Fife include the development of midwife educator, maternity co-ordinator and bereavement midwife roles.
Earlier this year the unit received safety awards from NHS Scotland and are also presenting at the Royal College of Midwives conference this year around our work on Enhanced Recovery after surgery and multidisciplinary education.
