I thank the Member for Ogmore for bringing this debate before the Senedd and for the level of detail, the difficult detail, that he's provided in setting out how the family of his constituents feel. No-one could have listened to what has just been said and fail to be moved and concerned. It's a reminder, if ever one was needed, that complaints processes are hugely important. The way that people are treated during healthcare, and then, if there is a subsequent complaint, how that process is managed, does have a significant and lasting impact on patients and their families. It sets out why we need to get them right—to make sure that, if there is a complaint, we get it right.

This family clearly had a poor experience of NHS care and then the NHS complaints process, and the difficulties and frustrations they experienced in many ways underline and perhaps exemplify why we have sought to fundamentally change the way that NHS concerns and complaints are dealt with in Wales. The original complaint was made in 2006. At the time, the NHS procedure for complaints was completely different from the one we have in place now, with a number of different stages and without what we now expect to be a patient-centred focus.

In 2011, when I was first elected, so I can't take credit for it, the introduction of the 'Putting Things Right' process introduced a complete overhaul of the way NHS Wales complaints and concerns are dealt with, and how families and patients must be engaged in the process. If that had happened here, from 2006 onwards, I think there'd be a different conversation the Member would have had with his constituents. This has represented a significant change, obviously, in process, but a significant cultural change for NHS Wales in the way that they respond to concerns, complaints and serious incidents. In particular, we tried to deliberately introduce a strong focus on openness and honesty. Being open is a central theme to 'Putting Things Right', and it operates on the basis of investigate once and investigate well. 'Putting Things Right' also requires the involvement of the patient or their representative in the concerns process to try to ensure that the basis of those concerns is properly understood and the result of the concerns investigation is then clearly communicated and explained. NHS providers must also advise complainants of the availability of advocacy services that can guide and support them through the complaints process.