Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she plans to extend access to independent investigations beyond maternity services to patients who have suffered serious harm in NHS care and remain dissatisfied with local investigations; and whether her Department is considering the adoption of a Harmed Patient Pathway to ensure patients and families can access explanations, support, accountability and independent scrutiny.

Patients who have suffered serious harm in National Health Service care are entitled to use the NHS complaints system. Where patients are dissatisfied with the investigation of their complaint, they can refer their complaint to the independent Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, whose role is to investigate and make final decisions on unresolved NHS complaints.