Patient feedback
We aim to continually improve the quality of the services we provide in order to realise our vision to 'treat patients as family'. Your feedback, whether positive or negative, is invaluable to help us achieve this. Please contact the local team directly if you wish to give them your feedback or email us on This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
If I send in a complaint, what will happen next?
1. A member of the patient services team will contact you via phone or letter to acknowledge receipt of your feedback.
2. Your feedback will then be passed to the local area's operational and clinical managers to investigate.
3. Following a thorough investigation, they will provide the patient services team with a report based on their findings.
4. A formal response will then be sent out, highlighting what happened, why it happened and what actions will be implemented to prevent a reoccurrence.
The formal complaints procedure will take up to 25 working days. Many complaints, however, can be dealt with verbally via a more informal process which can take up to 5 working days. All complaints are dealt with in accordance to the NHS Complaints Regulations 2009. All information is treated with the strictest confidence. If you are not the patient, then it may be necessary for the patient or the patient's next of kin to provide written consent for us to investigate the complaint. This ensures that we abide by the strict guidelines of the Data Protection Act (1998) which protect patient confidentiality.
If you are not satisfied with the outcome of the complaints procedure, you have the right to ask for a further investigation or a local resolution meeting. If you would still like to pursue the matter after further investigation, you can approach The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman to investigate your complaint.
Access to your health records
The patient services team can also assist with patient requests for access to their health records that are held by Harmoni. There is a minimum administration charge of £10 with a maximum charge of £50. All requests must be submitted in writing and will be responded to within 40 working days. Should you require the records of a deceased person, please contact us for further advice. Health records are confidential, and members of your family are not allowed to see them unless you give written permission, they have power of attorney or are the executor of the will.