How to Make a Comment, Suggestion Or Complaint About the NHS Services We Provide

Did we measure up?

How to make a comment, suggestion or complaint about the NHS services we provide

We aim to provide the highest quality care. This is why we want to hear your views about the Royal Free London, its services and any changes you would like to see.

Comments and suggestions – Barnet Hospital and Chase Farm Hospital

If you have a comment or suggestion about the service you received at Barnet Hospital or Chase Farm Hospital, please send your comments to:

Patient advice and liaison service (PALS)

Barnet Hospital

Wellhouse Lane Barnet

EN5 3DJ

Telephone: 020 8216 4625 (24 hour answerphone)

020 8216 4924

Fax: 020 8216 4530

Email:

Comments and suggestions – Royal Free Hospital

If you have a comment or suggestion about the service you received at the Royal Free Hospital, please send your comments to:

Patient advice and liaison service (PALS)

Royal Free Hospital

Pond Street London

NW3 2QG

Telephone: 020 7472 6445 (24 hour answerphone)

020 7472 6446/7

Fax: 020 7472 6463

Minicom: 020 7472 6593

Textphone: 07624 803635

Email:

Can I complain?
Yes, you can make a complaint if you are (or have been) a patient using our National Health Service facilities. A complaint can also be made by a patient or person affected or likely to be affected by the actions or decisions of the trust.

Talk to a member of staff

Please speak to a member of staff first, because they may be able to resolve your concern immediately. It is best to discuss problems about your medical care with the doctors or nurses looking after you.

Talk to a manager

If you still feel there is a problem, you may like to speak to the manager in charge. They are familiar with the service and will do everything they can to solve any problem quickly. Do ask a member of staff to help you contact the right person.

Patient advice and liaison service (PALS)

This should be your first port of call if you have a concern or need guidance and do not want to talk to someone already involved in your care.

Our PALS staff guide patients, their family and friends through the different services available and try to help sort out any concerns they might have about the care they receive. PALS aim to help resolve your concerns informally before matters escalate to a formal complaint, but they can also tell you more about the formal complaints procedure and the independent complaints advocacy services.

Putting your complaint in writing

If you decide to put your complaint in writing, please send it to the relevant address below. For complaints about Barnet Hospital or Chase Farm Hospital you can email us at: or send a letter to the address below:

Complaints department

Barnet Hospital

Thames House

Wellhouse Lane Barnet

London

EN5 3DJ

For complaints about the Royal Free Hospital you can email us at: or send a letter to the address below:

Patient affairs department

Royal Free Hospital

Executive offices

2nd Floor, Pond Street

London

NW3 2QG

When writing your complaint, please include the following information:

• your name and address

• name and address of patient (if different)

• date of birth

• hospital MRN/NHS number (if known)

• written consent from the patient if you are complaining on their behalf

• a full description of all the issues about which you wish to complain, including relevant dates and times.

This will enable us to investigate your complaint quickly and effectively.

Can someone complain on my behalf?

Yes, provided they have your written consent. If someone complains on your behalf, we will need to be sure they are acting with your permission and will only commence the investigation of a complaint/send a response to a third party once we are in receipt of the patient’s written consent.

Do I have to complain straight away?

No, but you must make your complaint within 12 months of the incident giving rise to the complaint or within 12 months of discovering that you have cause to complain. It can often be easier to investigate a complaint thoroughly the closer it is made to the incident in question.

Can I get help?

Free confidential help and support to make a complaint is available from:

• POhWER independent complaints advocacy service. You can contact them via:

o POhWER helpline: 0300 456 2370

o Minicom: 0300 456 2364

o Fax: 0300 456 2365

o Post: PO Box 14043, Birmingham B6 9BL

o Email:

• NHS Direct

• Your local Citizens Advice Bureau

• Department of Health website also has information about the NHS complaints procedure: www.dh.gov.uk

How will my complaint be investigated?

The process is called local resolution. A letter of acknowledgement will be sent to you within three working days providing we have enough information to commence an investigation. If your complaint relates to someone else’s care, then written consent will need to be provided by the patient. Otherwise, you will be contacted regarding the issue of consent.

Your complaint will then be investigated by the divisional complaints manager who will discuss your complaint with the staff involved and contact you to discuss the issues raised and agree how to take matters forward. You may be asked to attend a meeting with staff to discuss and, hopefully, resolve your concerns.

We aim to investigate and provide a response to your complaint within 35 working days or within an alternative negotiated timescale. Sometimes, it may take longer, for example, if a member of staff is on holiday and we need them to give a statement. If we cannot respond within the agreed timescale, we will contact you to apologise, explain and negotiate an extension.

We will write to you with the outcome of our investigation once it is complete. If you are not happy with our response, you have the opportunity to let us know and we will endeavour to reinvestigate any outstanding points or concerns about the investigation.

It is the aim of the NHS Complaints Procedure to resolve all complaints at local level. However, if you remain dissatisfied with our efforts to resolve your concerns, you have the right to ask the Parliamentary & Health Service Ombudsman to review your case. Your request for this review should be made as soon as possible after local resolution has come within 12 months of local resolution coming to an end. You can contact the Parliamentary & Health Service Ombudsman via:

Website: www.ombudsman.org.uk/making-complaint

Complaints helpline: 034 5015 4033

Email:

Fax: 030 0061 400

In writing: Parliamentary & Health Service Ombudsman Millbank Tower

Millbank

London

SW1P 4QP

The helpline is open between the hours of 8.30am-5.30pm, Monday to Friday.

If you have any feedback on this leaflet, or would like a full list of references used for it, please email:

This leaflet is also available in large print. If you need this leaflet in another format – for example Braille, a language other than English or audio – please ask a member of staff.

Version number: 2

Approval date: July 2017

Review date: July 2019