The right to complain

One of the 12 statements in our document, Care and treatment: your rights and choices, covering the rights and services that a person with epilepsy can expect.

Care and treatment: your rights and choices says: ‘You have a right to complain about services or treatment.’ There are various procedures for doing this, and for taking your complaint further if it is not resolved.

National guidelines

The NHS Constitution says that you have:

"the right to have any complaint you make about NHS services acknowledged within three working days and to have it properly investigated...to be kept informed of progress, and to know the outcome of the complaint".

If issues can be resolved without needing a formal complaint, by speaking to someone on site, or to a manager related to the service, this may be quicker and less stressful for you.

Making a complaint

If you have a complaint about any NHS treatment or service, you can make your complaint at the point where you receive care either to the NHS service involved, or through the hospital’s PALS  (Patient Advice and Liaison Service). You can ask for a copy of their complaints procedure. Or you can complain to the relevant clinical commissioning group (CCG).

If your complaint is not resolved, you can take it to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman or for a social care provider, to the Local Government Ombudsman. You can also seek advice from NHS Choices, where you can find information about the NHS complaints procedure.

There are also procedures if you are not satisfied with the outcome of any complaint, or if you feel you have been affected or harmed by treatment.

Information produced: January 2019