A HSE audit has expressed concern about how some hospitals are dealing with patient complaints.

The audit of how complaints were handled in nine acute hospitals around the country found that in some cases patients were not being told by hospitals of actions being taken following on from complaints.

It also found there was little evidence of formal tracking or monitoring of recommendations following investigation of complaintscomplaints in some cases.

Under statutory regulations, a complainant who is dissatisfied with a recommendation made by a HSE complaints officer acting on a complaint can apply for a review of that recommendation.

The regulations also stipulate that the HSE or hospital must take steps to give effect to any upheld, varied or new recommendations made following such reviews and to inform the complainant and the official that carried out the review of the steps being taken as a result of the recommendations.

Where it is proposed not to implement some or all of the recommendations, the reasons for this decision should be set out.

The audit found that in four of the nine hospitals, here was no evidence that the complainant and/or the review officer were notified in writing, within 30 working days of receipt of the reports from complaints reviews, of the steps being taken in respect of recommendations made.

While the remaining five hospitals demonstrated some level of compliance, this was limited in the majority of cases.

The audit said of particular concern was the fact that there was limited evidence of a formal system for tracking and monitoring recommendations in some hospitals where recommendations were not fully implemented.

The audit found that the majority of recommendations (71%) made by review officers had actually been addressed and implemented by the hospitals audited.

The audit report recommended that hospitals should ensure that documentary evidence of implementation of recommendations made following investigation of complaints is maintained and retrievable, where appropriate.

It said a formal system for the tracking and monitoring of recommendations made following investigation of complaints should be introduced in hospitals where none currently exists.

"At a minimum, this system should capture the person(s) responsible for implementation, the timeframe for implementation and the status/outcome of implementation," the audit report stated.

It said where necessary, hospitals should amend their policies on the management of complaints in order to improve their follow-up processes following complaints.

The audit was carried out between June and August of last year.

The hospital complaints processes audited were those of the Mater; Cavan General; St Vincent's; Mullingar; Clonmel; Galway University; Portiuncula and Letterkenny.