Transcript Slide 1

What to do when something goes wrong
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1st make a complaint to the provider. They will have a
complaints procedure.
You have 1 year to this unless there is a good reason to take longer
They should get back to you in 3 working days.
If you are not happy with the result of your 1st complaint then you
can complain to the organisation that commissioned the service. This
will be the Clinical Commissioning Group or NHS England. They will
have different complaints procedures available on their websites.
At every stage the NHS has to explain to you what they are doing
and the outcome of your complaint. Keep all this information. You
may need it later.
If you are still not happy then you can complain to the Parliamentary
and health Service Ombudsmen. They will investigate how your
complaint was dealt with and decide if the NHS acted wrongly.
If you are still not happy you can undertake Judicial Review, which is
a legal review of the legality of NHS’s actions. Always seek qualified
advice.
The Process
Stage 1
Complain to the provider: they will have a complaints manager
or complaints policy
They must acknowledge and keep you informed of the process of your
complaint
Stage 2
This will be a CCG or NHS England. They will have their complaints
information on their website
Complain to the commissioner of the service
Stage 3
Complain to the PSHO
They will review the way your complaint was handled using the
information you provide, and can instruct the NHS to apologise or change
its policies.
Stage 4
Legal Action
If the complaints process is unsuccessful then you could undertake legal
action, including Judicial Review to challenge the legality of the NHS actions.
This is a big undertaking and you need legal advice.
Who Can Help You
Local Healthwatch :independent bodies commissioned by Local Authorities to represent
patients and the public’s voice in the local health and care system
Clinical Commissioning Groups patient liaison teams: these provide information and
engagement regarding complaints about CCG services.
Patient Advisory Liaisons Service: for complaints about care delivered by a hospital, PALS
provide help with making a complaint.
Independent Complaints Advocacy Service: Local Authorities have a duty to commission
this, it will provide support for people making a complaint against the NHS. It maybe
provided by Healthwatch in some areas.
Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman: PHSO is the body responsible for
investigating cases where patients have been treated badly or received a poor service by the
NHS. The PSHO will only deal with complaints that have already through the NHS Complaints
process
Care Quality Commission: They do not investigate individual cases but you can report your
experience to them.
If you want to undertake a Judicial Review or direct legal action then the Public Law Project
can provide information and advice