THE concerned chief executive of a patients’ charity has waded into a debate about a ‘nuisance’ NHS complainer in Worcester, calling for a review and an investigation.

Katherine Murphy, chief executive of the Patients Association, has urged bosses at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust to rethink their ‘vexatious complainant’ policy after a Worcester man raised concerns.

We have already reported how Andrew Brown, aged 49, of St John’s, Worcester, was branded a ‘vexatious complainant’ after making a series of complaints about the care he received at Worcestershire Royal Hospital in Worcester, including the way he was examined using a nasal endoscope without anaesthetic.

Mr Brown has already been told it would be inappropriate for the Health Secretary to become involved in the dispute by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.

But in a letter to Penny Venables, chief executive of the hospital trust, Ms Murphy said: “The reason I am contacting you today is because one of your patients has recently contacted us and highlighted an aspect of your complaints procedure we find deeply concerning.

“In your Complaints and PALS Policy & Procedure it states that the definition of a vexatious complainant can be someone who ‘exhibits attention-seeking behaviour, invoking MP’ or ‘tells horror stories’ about his/her experience to all and sundry’.

“I am sure these decisions are not taken lightly. “Despite this however these categorisations are of deep concern to us as a patient organisation and I would urge you to reconsider their inclusion. Defining a patient who has contacted their local Member of Parliament as ‘attention-seeking’ is obviously not acceptable.”

She goes on to say it is a time when the NHS ‘is acutely aware of the seriousness of failing to take complaints seriously’ in the wake of the Francis Inquiry into failings at Stafford Hospital.

Ms Murphy has also written to Dame Julie Mellor at the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman calling for a review of such policies and calling for an investigation.

She has informed the Care Quality Commission, the health and social care regulator, of the charity’s concerns.

Mr Brown was branded a ‘vexatious complainant’ in January last year and had the status removed seven months later.

A spokesman for the Acute Hospitals NHS Trust said the complaints policy was now under review.