Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust has been awarded almost £400,000 to help it improve its complaints procedure.

Hospital bosses say it will help to end the mistrust between patients and hospital chiefs.

The trust won a £398,000 grant from the Health Foundation – an independent charity aiming to improve the quality of healthcare in the UK – and will use the money to form expert panels to handle complex complaints.

But Cure the NHS founder Julie Bailey said she was sceptical as to whether the cash would make a difference.

The cash will allow the trust to improve the way it uses external advocates in handling complaints. A project manager will be funded from the cash with the rest being used as set-up and administration costs.

The aim will be to provide increased support for complainants by having members of the community to act as advocates during the complaints process.

Julie Bailey said: “This is a way forward but we will be interested to know who will be on these panels and whether it does anything to help with the complaints procedure or not.

“At the moment it’s like torture for relatives going through the complaints process.”

Julie Hendry, director of quality and patient experience for the trust, said: “There is a level of mistrust between the local community and NHS staff at hospitals around the countrywide.

“People are very dissatisfied with the complaints procedures at hospitals. About 68 per cent of people making complaints find it pointless.

“We want Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust to be held up as an example of best practice in the way it provides answers to patients and families.”

The trust was one of 140 applicants for the award and only eight grants were given.

The project involves working collaboratively with the Patients Association, NCEPOD (National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome & Death) and educational charity the Pilgrim Project.

By Richard Woodall