Making a complaint
Many grievances can be dealt with by talking directly to the staff member involved or their supervisor. If you do not get a satisfactory outcome you have the right to make a complaint about any aspect of NHS treatment using the NHS complaints procedure. The Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) is available in all Primary Care Trusts and provides confidential advice on resolving problems and concerns. They provide information on NHS complaints procedures and how to get in touch with someone who can help.
To contact your local PALS phone your local clinic, GP surgery, health centre or hospital and ask for details of how to reach them.
If you have used the PALS service and any other local complaints procedures and are still not satisfied with the outcome of your complaint, you can then take your complaint to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman. The Ombudsman carries out independent investigations about unfair or improper actions or poor service by UK government departments including the NHS. The service is free and open to everyone. For more information go to www.ombudsman.org.uk or call 0845 015 4033, but not until you have used the PALS system and any other local arrangements and still not got a satisfactory answer.
