Complaints and litigation--three years experience at a busy accident and emergency department 1983-5

Between 1 January 1983 and 31 December 1985, 72 complaints concerning the management of patients attending Accident and Emergency (A & E) Departments in South Glamorgan were received. This represents an incidence of 1 in 3,390 new patient attendances (0.029%). Thirteen cases have to-date involved legal action (1 in 22,895 new attendances). An analysis is made of the nature and management of these cases.