WEST MIDLANDS Ambulance Service is celebrating after new figures reveal the number of compliments received by the Trust rose last year whilst the number of complaints fell.
In 2015, the trust received 1,279 contacts of appreciation, up 4 per cent from the 1,229 received in 2014-15, while the number of complaints and concerns fell by 9 per cent – from 393 calls to 358.
The public showed their appreciation and thanked staff in letters and emails and also publicly on social media in tweets and Facebook posts.
The figures equate to one in every 4,487 patients making a formal complaint and one in 1,256 choosing to say thank you for the service they have received.
Trust chairman, Sir Graham Meldrum, said: “I am delighted to see that the figures are continuing to go the right way and that more and more people are praising the work that we do.
“To see the number of complaints fall by 10 per cent is also an excellent result and we will continue to work hard in order to ensure that number falls further.
“When you consider that we receive almost 3,000 emergency calls and hundreds of non-emergency patient transport service (PTS) calls each day, we should all be very proud as to how few complaints we get.”
But head of patient experience at the trust, Marie Tideswell, stressed the need for staff not to rest of their laurels.
She added: “As a Trust, we know the value of listening to patient feedback.
“While we believe we have a high level of patient care, we are far from complacent and know that we can always learn more and make further improvements.”
