I. – The users’ commission mentioned in IV of article L. 6112-2 is set up in each army hospital.
II.This committee:
1° Ensures that the rights of users are respected and facilitates their procedures.
To this end, all complaints and claims relating to the care provided, brought to the attention of the Armed Forces Hospital by users or their relatives and to which the Armed Forces Hospital has responded, are made available to the members of the committee, in accordance with the procedures defined by the hospital’s internal regulations. Under the conditions set out in Articles R. 6147-128 to R. 6147-131, the Commission examines those complaints and claims that are not forwarded by the Armed Forces Hospital to other structures and ensures that all persons are informed of the means of appeal available to them;
2° Is consulted on the strategy and management of the hospital. To this end, it issues an opinion at least twice a year on the hospital’s medical and institutional policy and its activities;
3° Contributes to improving the policy for receiving and caring for patients and their families. To this end, it is informed at least annually by the Chief Medical Officer of the Armed Forces Hospital:
a) Measures relating to the policy of continuous improvement in the quality of care provided by the Armed Forces Hospital;
b) A summary of the claims and complaints made to the Armed Forces Hospital by users or their relatives over the previous twelve months;
c) The number of requests for medical information made and the time taken by the Armed Forces Hospital to comply with these requests;
d) The results of user satisfaction surveys, in particular the assessments made by patients in discharge questionnaires;
e) Any serious undesirable events mentioned in article L. 1413-14 and the action taken by the hospital to remedy the situation;
f) Each serious adverse event associated with care; this information is provided at the committee meeting following any transmission to the Director General of the Regional Health Agency of the second part of the form referred to in Article R. 1413-69. It includes a summary description of the circumstances of the serious adverse event that occurred, the consequences for the person or persons concerned, the immediate measures taken for these persons, as well as the corrective action plan implemented by the Armed Forces Hospital;
g) Comments from volunteer associations that have signed an agreement with the Armed Forces Hospital;
4° Carries out an assessment of the practices of the Armed Forces Hospital with regard to users’ rights and the quality of reception and care, based on an analysis of the origin and reasons for complaints, claims and expressions of satisfaction received in the various departments, as well as the action taken in response to them;
5° Identifies the measures adopted over the past year by the Armed Forces Hospital with regard to users’ rights and the quality of care and treatment, and assesses the impact of their implementation;
6° Makes recommendations and issues opinions designed to improve the care and treatment of patients and their families and to ensure that users’ rights are respected; These are included in the annual report referred to in point 8;
7° Expresses its wishes or recommendations with regard to reception policy, the quality and safety of care and respect for users’ rights, after consulting, where appropriate, the representatives of voluntary associations that have signed an agreement with the Armed Forces Hospital and work within it;
8° Reports on all its analyses and proposals in an annual report.
III.All information communicated to the committee, in particular that mentioned in e and f of II, and all information issued by the committee relating to complaints, claims and serious undesirable events guarantees the anonymity of the patient and the professional concerned.
IV -The Commission’s opinions and annual report are forwarded to the Director of the Regional Health Agency.