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NHS Complaints Procedure – the role of the Parliamentary Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) www.ombudsman.org.uk and Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALs)
The PHSO provides a service to the public by undertaking independent investigations into complaints that Government departments, a range of other public bodies in the UK and the NHS in England have not acted on properly or have provided a poor service.
NHS organisations include hospitals, primary care trusts, mental health services, GPs, pharmacists, health visitors and all professionals providing NHS services.
A complaint can only be reviewed by the PHSO if it has already been raised with the organisation or practitioner concerned and the complainant is dissatisfied with their formal written response.
However, before going down the formal complaint route, the complainant is advised to contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALs), a confidential service for patients and their families to help deal with questions or concerns about local health services.
PALs aims to resolve concerns before they become serious, and can provide information about the complaints procedure, for anyone wishing to go down the formal route. It can also offer information on the local Independent Complaints Advocacy Service (ICAS).
The local PALs can be contacted via NHS Warwickshire – pals@warwickshire.nhs.uk
ICAS can be contacted at:
POhWER,
County Buildings
St Mary's Street
Worcester
Worcestershire
WR1 1LT
Tel: 0300 456 2370
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