Mr Cammish said the current level of complaints made to the Health and Disability Commissioner was driven by a Quality and Patient Team which actively encouraged patients to take their concerns to the commissioner it they were not happy with the way the health board had managed their complaint.
Mr Cammish said the district health board believed an active and engaged complaints system, both internal and external, was the cornerstone of an effective continuous quality improvement and patient safety programme.
The commissioner reported receiving 389 complaints about care provided by district health boards nationally over the six months - the highest number of complaints ever received in a six month period.
The report said a missed, incorrect or delayed diagnosis was the most common specific primary issue in complaints about services.
It was the primary reason for about 20 per cent of complaints.
Communication also featured prominently when issues raised in complaints were analysed. Failure to communicate effectively was an issue in about 34 per cent of complaints.
The report said inadequate coordination of care was often noted in complaints.
