Your feedback, concerns, suggestions and formal complaints

If you are satisfied, dissatisfied or have a concern with care, service, or treatment received from the National Health Service (NHS), it’s crucial to inform us, please leave your story through Care Opinion on the web, telephone or in writing so that we know how we can improve our services or investigate what may have gone wrong.

If you have feedback or wish to tell us your story about your care, or your experience of our services in the trust, please leave your story through the independent website called Care Opinion which we use to gather feedback and suggestions on care.

We believe that sharing compliments, concerns and positive feedback form your experiences our services not only brightens our day but also plays a crucial role shaping services and in enhancing your or your loved ones healthcare experience, we also believe that learning and improvements can be gained from all feedback. Your valuable input guides us to continually improve and tailor our services to better meet your needs, carers and the wider community.

• Care Opinion (opens in new window)

This feedback will be published anonymously on the Care Opinion website (opens in new window), along with any responses from us about your story.

Who and when to raise concerns through

On occasions where either the feedback from the service responding on Care Opinion or where you need to speak to a separate advisor about a concern the patient experience coordinators (PEC) are here to help.

This will not affect how you or your family are treated, and your concern is kept and dealt separately from any medical history.

This can be:

• current or past patients or service users of the trust
• representatives of patients or service users, such as relatives, friends, and carers acting with their consent
• representatives acting on behalf of patients

Under the health and social care complaints procedure, the organisation can help with:

• the patient experience coordinator team will better understand the nature of your concern and problem and will liaise with the relevant service(s) in order to provide an explanation for what occurred or attempt to support a resolution for you
• this may include offering an apology and mediating a resolution to the problem where possible
• support implement improvements for future service delivery with the service area or trust to prevent the same issue from reoccurring
• take corrective actions

Under the health and social care complaints procedure, patient experience coordinator team cannot:

• cannot offer financial compensation, however, in some cases, small one-off payments may be made, such as for lost property
• cannot discipline staff
• cannot remove a doctor or other health professional from practice
• cannot address formal complaints
• we will however if your concerns cannot be resolved or the concern is of a significant nature recommend whether it should be escalated to a formal complaint

When and how to make a formal complaint

You may make a formal complaint at any time, though we hope that Care Opinion or the patient experience coordinator team can resolve any concerns in a timely and satisfactory manner. However, when a resolution cannot be reached or where the concern is significant a formal complaint can be submitted which should be as soon as possible after the event.

This has to be in writing or via email including all the details and the full nature of the complaint and addressed to the complaints team on the address or email below.

All formal complaints should be submitted within 12 months of the event or within 12 months of realising that you have cause for a formal complaint.

Information you must include in your complaint

• Full name.
• Address.
• Contact details.
• Date of birth (DOB).
• NHS number if known of the person relating to the complaint.
• Detail about the complaint include relevant dates and any supporting information in writing.
• Consent will be required in writing and also if the complaint is on behalf of someone else, their written consent.

How long will it take all complaints are answered within 60 working days

If you are not satisfied with your response letter, in the first instance please let the complaints team know.

Who to contact

The Patient Experience team

The chief executive officer

Advocacy services

Advocacy Services provides a complimentary and professional support service for individuals who wish to initiate a formal complaint about the National Health Service (NHS).

Parliamentary health service ombudsman

If, after the trust has concluded with a response to you, if you are still dissatisfied with the response to your complaint, you have the right to escalate the matter to the parliamentary and health service ombudsman.

This ombudsman specialises in investigating complaints related to the NHS. Generally, they expect individuals to complete the NHS complaints procedure before looking into a complaint, unless they deem it unreasonable for you to do so in your specific circumstances.

The parliamentary and health service ombudsman operates independently of the NHS and the government, and their service is free of charge. For additional information, please visit the parliamentary and health service ombudsman (opens in new window).

Page last reviewed: October 21, 2024
Next review due: October 21, 2025