Complaints process

RE: Complaints process

Bob Russell — Fri, 08 Mar 2019 17:00:42 GMT

I believe that anyone on the receiving end of a complaint does need considerable support. VDS are brilliant but my experience (thankfully limited) is that affected vets need to rant and rave at someone because so much of the time the complaints are unfair.

I suspect there are rotten eggs but I cannot say for sure that in 30+ years I have ever met any of them.

I can think of numerous situations where with hindsight I could have done better and feel a level of guilt that probably exceeds the failing. To make it worse the clients are often so grateful for what you have done that the guilt is greater.

RE: Complaints process

Robert FalconerTaylor — Fri, 08 Mar 2019 15:46:20 GMT

Startling stats in current JSAP regards effects of complaints agaainst vets, small sample size, but probs reflects the reality -

A total of 92 completed surveys were available for review. Fifty‐nine (64∙1%) respondents received a client complaint during the previous 6 months with cost of care the most common reason (53∙3%). Eighty‐nine (96∙7%) respondents worry about client complaints being made against them with 33 (35∙8%) stating they worry “most of the time” or “all of the time.” Thirty‐two (34∙8%) reported being verbally assaulted by a client in the previous 6 months and 27 (29∙4%) reported being threatened with litigation during the previous 6 months. Sixty‐six (71∙7%) have reported changing the way they practice medicine to avoid a client complaint and 40 (43∙5%) have considered changing their career because of complaints made against them.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jsap.12936

RE: Complaints process

Julie Innes — Fri, 08 Mar 2019 14:55:17 GMT

Not been through this (thankfully!), but I got a pleasant surprise from the RCVS last year- a letter detailing a ridiculous complaint (I appeared as a witness for SSPCA in a cruelty case, and the culprit, who was rightfully convicted, complained to the RCVS about my "perjury"!). they sent me a copy of the letter she had sent to them months previously, and a copy of the letter they had sent back to her, basically telling her there was no substance to her complaint- all done and dusted before I was even aware of it! Just sent me the details in a "thought you'd like to know" way!

She had also complained about a fellow vet, who had reported her to the SSPCA, and I was surprised and pleased to see in their response that it was the duty of a veterinary surgeon to put animal welfare above client confidentiality, something they have always been a bit vague about.

Maybe things are changing somewhat?