How to make a complaint

It is better if a formal complaint is made as soon as possible after the events that you want to complain about took place. This makes it easier for everyone to remember what happened. Complaints should be made within a year of the date of the event.

We will need as much information as you can give and if you're raising more than one concern, make the points that you would like answered clear. This will help us to cover all your concerns.

You can ask a friend or relative to raise a concern or complaint on your behalf. If you do, we'll ask you to sign a consent form, giving us permission to disclose your personal information to this person.

If you want to make a complaint, but are finding this difficult, please contact the PALS Team and we will advise you about the support available or offer advice to make sure your concerns are heard.

When we receive your complaint we will contact you within 3 working days to acknowledge it, discuss with you what will happen next and ask you how you would wish to be kept informed about how your complaint is being dealt with.

We will advise you about support and advice which is available to you throughout the complaints process. We will do everything we can to investigate and try to resolve your complaint to your satisfaction and this may, for example, include inviting you to meet with us, offering mediation or seeking an independent opinion from another healthcare professional.
You are welcome to bring along a friend or relative to support you in any meetings you have with us.

If you make a complaint on someone else's behalf we may need to check that the patient involved gives their consent to our investigation.

We will ensure the right members of staff are involved in responding to your complaint and aim to reply to your concerns as quickly as possible, within an agreed timescale. We will contact you if it is going to take more than we have advised for us to provide a final response to your complaint and we will let you know the reasons for this.

We will respond to all complaints fairly and will take actions to directly improve our services as a result of complaints wherever possible.

Your complaint will be treated confidentially and will not affect your current or future care and treatment in any way.

If, after you have received our written response, you are still unhappy you can request an independent review of your complaint.

You'll need to write to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO), requesting a review. You should usually take your complaint to the Ombudsman within a year of when you first became aware of the problem.

If you make a complaint and are not happy with the outcome?

If, after you have received our written response, you are still unhappy you can request an independent review of your complaint.

You'll need to write to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO), requesting a review. You should usually take your complaint to the Ombudsman within a year of when you first became aware of the problem.

Millbank Towers
Millbank
London
SW1P 4QP
Tel: 0345 015 4033

The following video from the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman explains how they can support you with your complaint.
 

The PHSO also provide a video in British Sign Language explaining the process for making a complaint about the NHS.

If you need further help and support to make your complaint from out of the NHS you can contact:

Sheffield Advocacy Hub website
Telephone: 0800 035 0396
Fax: 0114 250 9495
Email: info@sheffieldadvocacyhub.org.uk