Patient Experience and Complaints

Patient experience and complaints

Contact our patient information line if you want to talk to someone about local NHS services. You can contact us by phone from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays) or by email.

Telephone: 0115 8839570
Email: nnicb-nn.patientexperience@nhs.net

Make a complaint

Making a complaint is one way that helps organisations to learn lessons from their mistakes and to prevent them happening to anyone else.

How can I make a complaint?

You can make a complaint in writing, by email, over the telephone or in person. Your complaint should be made as soon as possible and at the most within a year of the event or within a year of you realising that you have something to complain about. You can make a complaint on your own or on behalf of someone else with their permission.

Download a leaflet about how to make a complaint.

Who should I contact with my complaint?

Doctor (GP), dentist, pharmacist or optician

Contact the service directly or the NHS England Customer Contact Centre on 0300 311 22 33 or email: england.contactus@nhs.net

Community based services

Nottingham CityCare Partnership on 0115 883 9654 or NCP.CustomerCare@nhs.net
Hospital treatment at Queen’s Medical Centre (QMC) & City Hospital
QMC Services on 0800 183 0204 or email pals@nuh.nhs.uk
Nottingham City Hospital on 0800 052 1195 or email CITYPET@nuh.nhs.uk
Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals (Doncaster Hospital, Bassetlaw Hospital, Retford Hospital and Montagu Hospital (Mexborough) dbth.pals.dbh@nhs.net phone 01302 642764, freephone 0800 028 8059

Mental health services

Nottinghamshire Healthcare Trust on 0115 993 4542 or email palsandcomplaints@nottshc.nhs.uk

Information about making a complaint

Information on how to make a complaint can be made available in other languages, on audio cassette or CD, in large print, Braille and in illustrated format. Interpreters can also be arranged including sign interpreters.

Can I get help and support with making my complaint?

Yes. An organisation called POhWER can provide you with support and advocacy. You can contact POhWER by phone on 0300 020 0093 or email: yourvoiceyourchoice@pohwer.net.

What will happen once I make my complaint?

Complaints will be dealt with in a manner that is proportionate and appropriate to the issues raised. Your complaint will be investigated and the NHS organisation responsible will aim to resolve the concerns and where needed take action to prevent the incident from happening again.

Is it confidential?

Your right to confidentiality will be respected throughout the investigation. However, there may be times when we need to share information without your consent, for example to protect children and vulnerable adults.

What if I am still not satisfied?

If you are unhappy with the response to your complaint you should contact the service directly to see if they can look into the case further. You also have the right to take your complaint to the Health Service Ombudsman.
There are time limits for taking a complaint to the Ombudsman, although she can waive them if she thinks there is a good reason to do so. The ombudsman has an online form to use to make a complaint about the NHS in England. The form is available at www.ombudsman.org.uk/make-a-complaint. You can also contact their helpline on 0345 015 4033 if you need advice or would like help to complete the form.
Further information is available at www.ombudsman.org.uk. You can write to the Ombudsman at: The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, Millbank Tower, Millbank, London SW1P 4QP.
You can download our complaints and concerns handling policy and procedure here.

Concerns relating to the Management of Conflicts of Interest

Any individual who wishes to raise a query or concern in relation to conflicts of interest may do so in accordance with the ICB’s Managing Conflicts of Interests Policy by email to either the Director of Corporate Development (lucy.branson@nhs.net) and/or the ICB Conflicts of Interest Guardian (sue.sunderland1@nhs.net) or by post marked ‘Strictly Private & Confidential’ and addressed to either of these individuals at Sir John Robinson House, Sir John Robinson Way, Arnold, Nottingham, NG5 6DA. Further information on the roles of these individuals in relation to the management of conflicts of interest can be found within the ICB Conflicts of Interest Policy.

Patient Experience Policy

View our Patient Experience Policy under Quality Policies.