Making a complaint

We are committed to providing the highest quality care at all times, and feedback tells us that the majority of our patients are satisfied with the care they receive.

However, we know that we don’t always get it right. Our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) will do their best to resolve any concerns you may have but, if you’re not satisfied, you may wish to take out a formal complaint. 

You can contact the Complaints team using the details below:

How do I make a complaint about the patient transport service?

Compliments or complaints regarding patient transport should be directed to complaints@hatgroup.com
 

Who do I contact if I have an issue with car parking?

If you have an issue with car parking, you can contact Wise Parking, the company that manages our car parks, by pressing the help button on any pay station. You will be able to speak to an operator who can assist with your inquiry. If your query relates to a PCN (Parking Charge Notice), you will need to follow the guidance provided in the PCN letter and either appeal the PCN or pay the fine. The Trust will not rescind any correctly issued PCNs. For further information about car parking, please visit our car parking page or email: info@wiseparking.co.uk or by phone: 03301 334 522


Your complaints rights

If you are unhappy with the way you have been treated by the NHS you have the right to make a complaint.

Who can complain?

Anyone who is receiving, or has received, NHS treatment or services can complain. You can complain for yourself, a friend or a relative, but you must have their consent or legal authority, such as power of attorney. If the patient is deceased, young or very ill then you need consent from the next of kin named in their medical records. You can also get further advice from the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) team. Link here to Consent to Investigate form

When should I complain?

It is always best to make your complaint as soon as possible and not more than 12 months after the incident. This time limit may sometimes be waived if there is a genuine reason why you could not make a complaint sooner.

Keeping a complaint confidential

To fully investigate your complaint, information from health records may have to be shared with clinical and managerial staff. However, patient confidentiality will be respected at all times. If you decide to complain, this will not be recorded on your medical notes.

Equality and diversity

Our goal is to provide fair and equal healthcare across all our services. We aim to ensure that patients and carers are not subject to discrimination, bullying or harassment on the basis of ethnic or national origin, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, age, physical or mental health, religion or beliefs.

How can I contact the complaints team?

You can contact the team by letter, email or telephone. Please send your letter to Complaints Team, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, London SE18 4QH or email LG.ComplaintsTeam@nhs.net.

Alternatively you can call 020 8836 5912 and a complaints officer will take the details of your complaint or arrange for an appropriate person to contact you to resolve and address your concerns.

What information do I need to include?

You should give as much information as possible about what, where and when it happened. Don’t forget to include your full name, address, telephone number, date of birth and your hospital number if you know it. Wherever possible, you should give the name and the job title of any member of staff involved in the complaint. Please indicate how you would like your complaint to be resolved, for example:

  • over the phone

  • by having a meeting

  • by a written response

Please make sure you enclose written consent if you are complaining on behalf of someone else. You should keep a copy of your letter.

When will I hear from you?

We will contact you within three working days of receiving your complaint to acknowledge it and make arrangements to resolve and address your complaint. It is therefore very helpful if you could provide a daytime phone number for us to contact you.

How will I be affected by making a complaint?

Making a complaint should not have any negative impact on your care or treatment and only the staff directly involved will know you’ve complained. If you feel your treatment has been affected by making a complaint, please let our PALS team know as soon as possible so that we can make sure you are being treated fairly.

Listening to you to help us learn and improve

We welcome all feedback and view it as an opportunity to learn and improve our services.

Can I take my complaint further?

If you are still unhappy after you have received the Trust’s response to your complaint, you can ask the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) to review your complaint.

They can be contacted at:

Address: The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, Millbank Tower, London SW1P 4QP

Tel: 0345 015 4033 (8.30am–5.30pm, Monday to Friday)

Email: phso.enquiries@ombudsmapmn.org.uk

Website: www.ombudsman.org.uk

The Ombudsman will generally only consider your complaint once you have completed the Trust’s complaints procedure and received your final response.

If the Ombudsman is of the opinion that the Trust can do more to resolve your complaint, they will refer your complaint back to the Trust. It is therefore very important to allow the Trust every opportunity to try and resolve your complaint.

Further information on the NHS complaints procedure is available at www.nhs.uk or www.ombudsman.org.uk .

If you need independent advice or support about your complaint you may also wish to contact the NHS Complaints Advocacy Service. They offer free and confidential help and support to those who have experienced problems with the NHS. For further details, call 0300 303 1660 or visit www.nhscomplaintsadvocacy.org.