EN | 1 min
Backlog! A word that can call up a range of emotions: frustration, worry, shame, or anger. Backlogs become a reality when more cases come into an organization than can be actioned with existing processes and staffing and within standard service timelines. Addressing unactioned cases in an ombuds office becomes nearly impossible if complaint volumes continue to rise and staff experience compassion fatigue or burn-out.
When I joined Patient Ombudsman in 2022, there was a daunting backlog of health care complaints that had arisen during the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet we successfully battled the backlog in less than a year: Meeting the Call – Patient Ombudsman Annual Report 2023/24.
If you are wondering how we did this, over the next few posts I’ll some of the backlog elimination strategies I deployed, starting with BE BRAVE. Be brave about:
- Taking on what is a daunting task
- Seeking inspiration in unlikely places
- Being the squeaky wheel about the priority of battling the backlog
- Trying things that might not work (and pivoting when they don’t!)
- Asking for a lot from your team and leadership, and
- Focussing on the future – an opportunity to advocate for fairness without the burden of a backlog.