The Committee would like to receive written evidence on the following issues in particular:
Complaints

• The reasons for the recent sharp rise in NHS complaints

• The effectiveness of the new complaints system introduced on 1 April 2009
• The effectiveness of the constituent parts of the complaints system: local resolution (supported by the Independent Complaints Advocacy Services); and referral to the Ombudsman
• The role of Patient Advice and Liaison Services as a "gateway" to the complaints system
• The failure of some Foundation Trusts to report numbers of complaints
• The Government's plans for future complaints-handling arrangements (the White Paper says, on p. 19, "Local authorities will be able to commission local HealthWatch or HealthWatch England to provide advocacy and support ... supporting individuals who want to make a complaint")
• How data from complaints will feed into the planned new commissioning arrangements (the White Paper says, at Para. 2.26, "Building on existing complaints handling structures, we will strengthen arrangements for information sharing")

Litigation

• The cost of litigation against the NHS

• Reasons for the inflation of litigation costs in recent years
• The impact of conditional fee ("no win, no fee") arrangements on litigation against the NHS
• The effect of litigation on the development of an open reporting and learning culture in the NHS
• The Government's intentions regarding the implementation of the NHS Redress Act 2006
• The possible benefits of a statutory right to compensation for "treatment injury" from an independent fund, without the need to prove negligence, as required under tort law
• Encouraging the use of mediation before litigation is initiated The deadline for submitting written evidence is noon on Tuesday 21 December 2010.

Guidance on submitting written evidence It assists the Committee if those submitting written evidence adhere to the following guidelines:

Each submission should:

• state clearly who the submission is from, ie whether from yourself in a personal capacity (eg Submission from Miss Dee Dee Lee) or sent on behalf of an organisation (eg Submission from Insert Name Ltd)
• be 3,000 words in length;
• as far as possible comprise a single document attachment to the email;
• begin with a short summary in bullet point form;
• have numbered paragraphs; and
• be in Word format with as little use of colour or logos as possible (Reports are published in black and white).

A copy of the submission should be sent by e-mail to healthcommem@parliament.uk and have the 'Name of the inquiry" in the Subject line.

Please supply a postal address so a copy of the Committee's report can be sent to you upon publication.