Thank you for your request for information about the following:

For each of the most recent 12 months that data is available for, please advise the mean number of days it has taken between receiving and providing a full response to complaints. For the same months please also provide the percentage of complaints that a full response has not been provided within the standard time frame.

You clarified this as follows:

This request relates to NHS Pensions

Please break this down into formal complaints using the IDR process and those considered informal complaints, ie those that are not raised using a DRP1 form.

As I have since learnt that there is apparently no target date for informal complaints, please can you provide data for the mean number of days it has taken to provide a substantive response for both formal and informal complaints for each of the last twelve months?

Your clarified request was received on 21 March 2023 and I am dealing with it under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Response

A copy of the information is attached. Please read the below notes to ensure correct understanding of the data.

The data shows the month in which an informal complaint or IDR1 was received and the average number of days it took for a ‘full and final response’ to be issued. All cases receive an acknowledgement on receipt and when we’re unable to provide a full and final response straightaway an interim response will be sent. It can take time to provide a full and final response as we investigate all complaints thoroughly and sometimes need to request information from third parties. We try to resolve as many complaints as possible informally and by email.

In periods where complaint volumes are high (reflected in the average number of days taken to provide a full and final response), we often find that when we contact the complainant their complaint has already been resolved. In these circumstances we always ask the complainant to confirm their complaint has been resolved to their satisfaction so we can provide further support if needed.

The data provided in this FOI response counts complaints from all Pension members including both clinicians and non-clinicians.

Data Queries

If you have any queries regarding the data provided, or if you plan on publishing the data please contact nhsbsa.foirequests@nhs.net ensuring you quote the above reference. This is important to ensure that the figures are not misunderstood or misrepresented.

If you plan on producing a press or broadcast story based upon the data please contact nhsbsa.communicationsteam@nhs.net. This is important to ensure that the figures are not misunderstood or misrepresented.

The information supplied to you continues to be protected by the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 and is subject to NHSBSA copyright. This information is licenced under the terms of the Open Government Licence detailed at: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Should you wish to re-use the information you must include the following statement: “NHSBSA Copyright 2023” This information is licenced under the terms of the Open Government Licence:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Failure to do so is a breach of the terms of the licence.

Information you receive which is not subject to NHSBSA Copyright continues to be protected by the copyright of the person, or organisation, from which the information originated. Please obtain their permission before reproducing any third party (non NHSBSA Copyright) information.