This information is for people who wish to make a complaint about NHS treatment or services. It tells you what to do before you make a complaint, who to go to if you would like to make a complaint and what will happen once you have complained.
What should I do before I make a complaint?
You should always talk to your doctor, nurse or health professional about any concerns you may have about the treatment or service you have received.
The Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) may also be able to help you. They provide on the spot advice, support and assistance to patients. Please contact PALS if you need advice or information about how to raise a concern or make a complaint.
They will listen closely to what you have to say and will try to resolve any problems quickly and satisfactorily by liaising with staff.
The PALS team can also advise of the other options available to you.
Who can complain?
Anyone who is receiving or has received NHS treatment or services can complain. You can complain for yourself, but if you complain for a friend or relative, you must have their consent to represent them. You can also get further advice from the Complaints Department.
When should I complain?
It is always best to make your complaint as soon as possible and not more than 12 months after the incident. The time limit may sometimes be waived if there is a genuine reason why you could not make a complaint sooner. We deal with all complaints about any service we provide, including those on other sites.
What does the hospital need to know about my complaint?
You should phone us or write a letter of complaint and give us as much information as possible about what, where and when it happened (please see the example letter below). Don't forget to include your full name, address, telephone number, date of birth and your hospital number, should you know it. Wherever possible, you should give the name and job title of any member of staff involved in the complaint.
Please indicate how you would like your complaint to be resolved:
Example letter of complaint
Name and full postal address
Telephone number
Date
Dear Sir
Re: Patient's name, date of birth
Hospital number
I am writing to complain about treatment received at name of hospital and ward or department.
Details of what happened, when it happened and where it happened. It helps to include the names or titles of members of staff. For example Staff Nurse Brown or Dr. Smith.
Details of what you want to complain about. You should do this by asking questions. For example 'Why did this happen?' It helps if you number the questions.
If you need further information please contact me.
Sign and print your full name
Who should I send my complaint letter to?
You can send your letter to the Chief Executive or the Complaints Department, they will make sure your complaint is acknowledged and investigated.
Complaints Department
St Helier Hospital
Wrythe Lane
Carshalton
Surrey SM5 1AA
Please make sure you enclose written consent if you are complaining on behalf of someone else. You should keep a copy of your letter.
What do I do if I do not want to write a letter?
You can email your complaint to complaints@esth.nhs.uk or you can contact the complaints department team on 020 8296 2925 or 020 8296 2924 and they can take the details of your complaint or arrange for an appropriate person to contact you to resolve and address your concerns.
When will I hear from you?
We will acknowledge receipt within three working days of receiving of your complaint. We are keen to resolve your complaint to your satisfaction.
Further information
For more information about making a complaint please speak to our complaints department. You can also read our complaints procedure.
