Do you have concerns about the quality of your healthcare?

Your first step should be to contact your local Healthwatch service here for guidance on how to complain about your NHS care. Healthwatch England is an independent statutory body who have the power to make sure NHS leaders and other decision makers listen to your feedback and improve standards of care in England. Healthwatch can offer advice on making a complaint about the healthcare you have received.

If you are not happy with the outcome of this step, you should continue to the steps below.

Step 2: Make a complaint to your hospital’s Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS). You can find out how to contact the PALS department on your hospital’s website. They will tell you how to go through their complaints process. 

Step 3: Contact your local Integrated Care Board (ICB). ICBs replaced clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) in the NHS in England from 1 July 2022 and arrange for the provision of health services within a local area. Each ICB will have a slightly different complaints process that can be found on their website.  

Step 4: Contact the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman. If you’re unhappy about how your complaint has been dealt with after previous steps, you can complete a complaints form on the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman website or call them at 0345 015 4033. It’s not guaranteed the Ombudsman will take on your complaint. Check to see if they can look into your complaint.

Your first step should be to contact the Patient and Client Council. The PCC can provide you with support and advice if you have concerns about the health, or social care, you or someone you care for has received. Their services are independent, free and confidential. PCC has a team of trained practitioners, who after discussing your issue or concern, will do their best to assist you in finding a solution or connect you to those who can. Their services are independent, free and confidential.

If you are not happy with the outcome of this step, you should continue to the steps below.

Step 2: Make a complaint to your Local Health Trust. You will find details of how to complain on the Trust’s website or by contacting the Trust’s complaints department. The Trust should try to resolve your complaint. They will acknowledge your complaint and provide you with a written response to address your complaint. If a timely response is not possible, they should inform you of the reasons for any delay. It is best to make your complaint as quickly as possible as the Trust will have a timeframe within which a complaint should be raised to them. 

Step 3: Contact the Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman. If you’re unhappy with the Trust’s response or about how your complaint has been dealt with by your Local Health Trust, you can complete an online complaint form on the Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman’s website or call them at 0800 34 34 24. You should bring your complaint to the Ombudsman within six months of receiving your response from the Trust.  

Firstly, you should complain in person at the place where you have received care, treatment or advice. Complaints about a GP practice can be made directly to the practice. Complaints about hospital services should be made to local trust boards which can be found here.

If you are not happy with the outcome of this step, you should continue to the steps below.

Step 2: Contact Patient Advice and Support Service. PASS supports NHS users to understand their rights and responsibilities as a patient in Scotland, raise concerns, or make a complaint.

Step 3: Contact the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman if you’re unhappy with the Health Board’s response or about how your complaint has been dealt with. You can complete a complaints form on their website, or call them at 0800 377 7330.

Your first step should be to contact Llias Wales. This service has replaced the Community Health Council. You can get more advice on how to complain about NHS services in Wales from your local Llias team. They can give you advice and help you though the complaints process. The trained complaints advocacy staff provide free, independent, and confidential services.

If you are not happy with the outcome of this step, you should continue to the steps below.

Step 2. Make a complaint to your Local Health Board. Following advice from Llias Wales, you will be able to find the details of how to complain on each Health Board’s website.  

Step 3: Contact the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales. If you’re unhappy about how your complaint has been dealt with by your local Health Board, you can complain to the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales. You can complete a complaints form on their website, or call them at 0300 790 0203. It’s not guaranteed the Ombudsman will take on your complaint. Check to see if they can look into your complaint.