Mafra Newspaper | Malveira health center subject to lawsuit due to lack of complaints book

UCSP Mafra Leste (Malveira) subject to lawsuit due to lack of Complaints Book

In January 2023, a user of UCSP Mafra Leste, in Malveira, requested the Complaints Book and was informed that “the establishment at that time did not provide the Complaints Book in physical format to users not registered at UCSP”.

Faced with the refusal, the user filed a complaint with the National Republican Guard. After a complaint, the GNR went to the location and spoke to the employee who had attended to the user. To GNR, the employee stated that “had not provided the complaints book in physical format, as indicated by the management of the aforementioned UCSP, who ordered that the book could not be provided to users who were not yet duly registered with the institution and that they should make the complaint online via the website of the Health Regulatory Authority”.

Once the situation was assessed, and since the health center refused to “provide the complaints book immediately and free of charge whenever requested”, the GNR prepared an administrative offense notice.

After becoming aware of the Notice drawn up by the GNR, the Health Regulatory Entity (ERS) notified ACES Oeste Sul about the opening of an investigation process, to “full clarification of the facts reported”.

In response, ACES management responds that the refusal to present the Complaints Book “is not, nor has it ever been, guidance given, issued or accepted by the Executive Management”, adding that he contacted UCSP Mafra Leste and informed them of “non-conformity recorded and the need for immediate correction of procedures, excluding any entry that referred to this topic, if so stated in any of the Unit’s internal regulations, and that was unknown to ACES”.

ERS, whose mission is “to regulation, under the terms set out in these statutes, of the activity of health care establishments”, After analyzing the case, it decided to issue an instruction to the Oeste Sul Health Center Group, with special focus on UCSP Mafra Leste, to the effect of “permanently guarantee respect for the fundamental right to complain and present a complaint that assists all users of the health system, through the immediate and free availability of the complaints book, whenever requested (…)” and the aforementioned health unit must “adopt internal procedures, standards and/or awareness-raising and training actions” in order to guarantee compliance with the same “by all its employees and collaborators, particularly those who provide customer service” It is “permanently guarantee that the procedures (…) are effectively followed by its workers and/or service providers”.

UCSP Mafra Leste (Malveira) should give “immediate compliance with this instruction, as well as informing ERS, within a maximum period of 30 working days, after notification of this determination, of the procedures adopted for this purpose”.

Failure to respect this decision by the ERS “constitutes an administrative offense punishable in casu with a fine of €1,000.00 to €44,891.81”.

In this case, the request to access the Complaints Book arose after being denied an appointment for the complainant’s daughter.

The Mafra Leste Health Center, located in Venda do Valador, opened in October 2017.