NI Health complaints surge to record high – but patients also deliver 42,000 compliments
- Love Ballymena
- Aug 1
- 4 min read
Antrim Area Hospital Emergency Department
Acute care and A&E top public concerns – but frontline staff continue to win praise across Northern Ireland’s Health Trusts
Northern Ireland’s Health and Social Care (HSC) system saw a significant increase in complaints over the past year, with 8,805 distinct issues raised through 5,483 formal complaints – the highest in five years, according to newly released data from the Department of Health.
Despite this sharp rise, public appreciation for health service staff also reached new heights, with 42,312 compliments recorded across the six HSC Trusts – a figure nearly eight times higher than the number of complaints.
Where complaints are coming from
By Trust:
Belfast HSC Trust: 2,406 issues (27.3%)
South Eastern: 2,178 (24.7%)
Western: 1,634 (18.6%)
Southern: 1,180 (13.4%)
Northern: 1,092 (12.4%)
NI Ambulance Service (NIAS): 315 (3.6%)
By Programme of Care:
Acute Services: 4,718 issues (53.6%)
Family & Child Care: 889 (10.1%)
Maternal & Child Health: 796 (9.0%)
Mental Health: 681 (7.7%)
By Category:
Diagnosis/Operation/Treatment: 2,858 issues (32.5%)
Information & Communication: 2,156 (24.5%)
Patient Experience: 1,566 (17.8%)
Appointments/Waiting Times: 898 (10.2%)
By Specialty:
Accident & Emergency: 1,243 issues (14.1%)
General Medicine: 745 (8.5%)
Children & Young People (Statutory): 550 (6.2%)
Spotlight on the Northern Trust: Pressure rises amid strong public support
The Northern Health and Social Care Trust accounted for 1,092 complaint issues, representing 12.4% of the Northern Ireland total. While this is lower than Belfast, South Eastern, or Western Trusts, the data shows a 15.3% increase in complaints year-on-year — a rise of 145 issues.
Key Concerns:
The majority of complaints in the Northern Trust mirrored system-wide trends, focusing on:
Diagnosis and treatment
Information and communication
Patient experience
These themes suggest layered dissatisfaction, with many complaints touching on multiple failings across the patient journey.
Timeliness of Responses:
No Trust-specific figure for complaint response times is provided for the Northern Trust.
However, Northern Ireland’s overall responsiveness fell to just 44.8% of complaints answered within the 20-day target.
Compared with Belfast Trust’s 55.9% on-time rate and Western Trust’s 19.1%, Northern’s performance is likely mid-range but still under pressure.
Compliments Received:
The Northern Trust received 7,067 compliments – 16.7% of the NI total.
Most compliments praised staff behaviour and quality of treatment, indicating strong public goodwill towards frontline workers.
This level of appreciation could serve as a foundation for rebuilding trust amid rising complaint volumes.
Strategic Implications:
The combination of rising complaints and consistently high praise suggests a Trust caught between growing service pressure and strong public appreciation for staff.
Improving communication pathways, managing wait times, and addressing diagnostic concerns may ease pressure points without undermining the community rapport that staff have clearly built.
Who’s filing complaints – and why?
59% of complaints related to female patients, 41% male.
16.8% involved patients aged 75 and over, while 14.7% involved children under 16.
57.5% were submitted directly by patients/clients; 42.5% by family members or representatives.
This balance suggests increasing family involvement in care complaints, particularly concerning vulnerable age groups.
Response times declining
Only 44.8% of complaints received a substantive response within the 20-working-day target, down from 49.5% the year before.
The average response time was 32.7 working days.
Best performer: Belfast Trust (55.9%)
Worst performer: Western Trust (19.1%)
Family Practitioner Services (FPS) – GPs under scrutiny
272 complaints were filed against Family Practitioner Services – a 51.1% increase from last year.
93% concerned GPs.
80.9% resolved through local resolution, with 19.1% escalated via the Honest Broker process.
This upward trend reflects growing concern over primary care access, particularly in GP services.
Compliments tell a different story
Despite rising complaints, compliments increased substantially – totalling 42,312 in 2024/25.
Compliment Subjects:
Quality of Treatment & Care: 20,832 (49.2%)
Staff Attitude & Behaviour: 10,732 (25.4%)
Information & Communication: 4,568 (10.8%)
Environment: 1,194 (2.8%)
Other: 4,986 (11.8%)
Compliment Methods:
Card: 38.8%
Care Opinion (online): 31.9%
Feedback Form: 13.4%
Phone: 7.3%
Email: 6.7%
National takeaways: What this means for NI Health Services
Complaints are rising – up 76% since 2020/21.
Acute care remains the most complained-about service area.
Diagnosis, communication, and wait times are persistent challenges.
Response rates are declining, risking transparency and trust.
Yet, compliments outweigh complaints 8 to 1, showing that staff dedication and care quality are deeply valued by the public.
Key themes across the system
• Multi-issue complaints
Many complaints covered multiple service failures, highlighting how patients often feel let down across several aspects of care.
• Declining responsiveness
Delays in addressing concerns may risk undermining public confidence — especially in high-pressure departments like A&E.
• Vulnerable age groups
A high share of complaints involve children and older adults, suggesting pressure points in paediatric and elderly care.
• Care opinion as public voice
Nearly a third of compliments were submitted via Care Opinion, reinforcing the value of digital platforms in shaping service feedback.
• Opportunity in compliments
With nearly eight times more compliments than complaints, positive patient feedback could help guide training, morale, and system reform.
Why This Matters
This data published by the Department of Health offers a rich insight into public sentiment about health services in Northern Ireland.
While it’s clear there are mounting frustrations — particularly in acute and emergency care — the overwhelming number of compliments suggests patients continue to hold health workers in high regard.
Full data report available at:
