We work hard with our providers to deliver consistent, high quality healthcare services, but we do appreciate that things don’t always go to plan.
Your experiences are valuable to us as they help us identify any trends and identify opportunities to improve local services.
NHS commissioners and providers welcome complaints as a means of learning from your experience as an opportunity to continually improve. Making a complaint should not have a negative effect upon the care you or your family member receive but if you are worried about this, please contact us on the details below and we will be pleased to discuss your concerns.
You have the right to make a complaint if you are not satisfied with the care you received from the NHS. If your complaint is about NHS treatment and care outside of primary care, you are advised to complain directly to the healthcare provider. Our local hospitals, mental health trusts, community trust and other providers have in-house complaints teams that can help you, if you are unsure of who to contact our Integrated Care Board (ICB) complaints team can assist you in identifying who to contact. You can also find out more information of how to complain from the NHS website: How to complain to the NHS – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
What if your concern or complaint is about primary care?
If you have a complaint about care or services provided by your general practice (GP), dentist, pharmacist or optician, you can raise these directly with them, usually via the Practice Manager or via NHS England, who are the organisation responsible for commissioning Primary Care Services.
NHS England
PO Box 16738
Redditch
B97 9PT
Monday to Friday, excluding English Bank Holidays
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Please state: ‘For the attention of the complaints team’ in the subject line
england.contactus@nhs.net
How you make a complaint about primary care is changing on 1 July 2023
Unsure of who to complain to?
We recognise that the NHS is complex, and it is not always easy to see where best to send complaints, and so if you are unsure then do, please ask us and we’ll help you to direct your complaint to the right place.
Service you wish to complain about
Hospital
Basildon Hospital
Provider: Mid & South Essex NHS Foundation Trust
Broomfield Hospital
Provider: Mid & South Essex NHS Foundation Trust
Southend Hospital
Provider: Mid & South Essex NHS Foundation Trust
Community Nursing Services
South-West Essex (Basildon, Brentwood or Thurrock)
Provider: North-East London NHS Foundation Trust
South-East Essex (Southend, Castle Point, Rayleigh & Rochford)
Provider: Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
Community or Acute Mental Health Services or
Learning Disability services
Mid and South Essex
Provider: Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
Thurrock Talking Therapy Service
Thurrock
Provider: Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
GP Surgeries/Pharmacies/Dental Practices/Opticians
NHS England
PO Box 16738
Redditch
B97 9PT
Monday to Friday, excluding English Bank Holidays
–
Please state: ‘For the attention of the complaints team’ in the subject line
england.contactus@nhs.net
Complaints Role of The Mid and South Essex Integrated (ICB)
If you want to complain about services but do not wish to complain directly to the Provider, then you can make your complaint to the ICB. You can also complain to Mid and South Essex ICB about the commissioning decisions made by our ICB or any other experience you may have of our ICB using the contact details below.
Complaints and Concerns Team
NHS Mid and South Essex ICB
Phoenix Court
Christopher Martin Road
Basildon
Essex SS14 3HG
Whoever you ask to investigate your complaint will do their best to resolve the problem as soon as possible and will let you know the outcome. They will listen to and respect your wishes as to how you would like your complaint dealt with. This may include a structured investigation with a written response, a meeting to discuss your complaint and bringing in an independent view of the service you received.
Can I have some help in making my complaint and finding my way through the complaints process?
Yes. Independent professional complaints advocacy is available, free of charge, to the complainant.
If you would like complaints advocacy, please see below for your area
Basildon and Brentwood
Provider: POhWER advocacy service
By post: PO Box 17943, Birmingham B9 9PB
Castle Point and Rochford
Provider: Rethink advocacy service
By post: Essex All-Age Advocacy, Advocacy Hub 1, 15-16 Floor, 89 Albert Embankment, Vauxhall, London SE1 7TP
Mid Essex
Provider: Rethink Essex Advocacy
By post: 33 Arnhem Rd, Chelmsford CM1 2EN
Southend
Provider: South Essex advocacy service
By post: Unit 2, 225-235 West Road, Westcliff-on-Sea SS0 9DE
Thurrock
Provider: Thurrock Healthwatch
By post: The Beehive Resource Centre, West Street, Grays RM17 6XP
Consent
For your concerns to be investigated, the ICB requires written consent from the person who the complaint is about or a legal guardian, such as ‘Court of Protection’ or ‘Power of Attorney’. The reason for this request is to comply with the Data Protection Act 1998 and patient confidentiality guidelines. The main purpose of the Act is to respect and protect the individual’s rights, ensuring that any information about the person concerned is not disclosed without their knowledge and written consent.
Watch the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman video using British Sign Language giving tips on making a complaint to the NHS in England including where to get advice and support.
What if I remain dissatisfied?
If your complaint is not resolved to your satisfaction after it has been investigated locally, you can ask the Parliamentary & Health Service Ombudsman to review your complaint. The Ombudsman can be reached through http://www.ombudsman.org or on 0345 015 4033.