Complaints and compliments

In the majority of cases, complaints about the care you have received can be handled by the provider of that care. However, you are also entitled to complain to the ICB as the commissioner of these services if that is your preference. 

Complaining to the commissioner may be the right option if you are not comfortable complaining directly to your healthcare provider.  However, the healthcare provider will normally be given the opportunity to investigate and respond to your complaint directly. In cases where the ICB is the commissioner, the provider will be asked to share a copy of the complaint response with the ICB for monitoring purposes.

Please note, if you have already complained to your healthcare provider, the commissioner will not be able to re-investigate the same concerns.  If you remain unhappy following a response to your complaint, you should contact either your healthcare provider or the Parliamentary and Health Services Ombudsman (PHSO), see below for more information about the PHSO.

The ICB will retain personal information for the purposes of a complaint investigation only. To help us make improvements to the services you receive, anonymised information about your complaint may be shared as part of our reporting process. Should you have any concerns about these arrangements please contact us.

The commissioning of a service by the ICB

If you have a complaint, concern or compliment about the way an NHS service has been planned and commissioned by the ICB, or you have been directly affected by a decision relating to commissioning decisions made by the ICB, please contact:

Email: necsu.complaints@nhs.net

Tel: 0191 374 4218

Post: Complaints Team, North of England Commissioning Support Unit, John Snow House, University Science Park, Durham, DH1 3YG

A funding decision made by the ICB

Complaints relating to funding decisions made by the ICB are not routinely handled via the complaints process. However, the Complaints Team can provide advice on the relevant appeals processes to follow and can be contacted as above.

A service provided by a GP practice, dentist, pharmacist or optometrist

If you have a concern, complaint or compliment about a doctor (GP), dentist, pharmacy or optometrist, please contact the provider directly in the first instance. If you would prefer not to approach the provider about the complaint, then please contact the ICB as below, but please note that the ICB will still need to contact the provider to investigate your complaint.

Email: necsu.pccomplaints@nhs.net

Tel: 0191 512 8277

Post: Primary Care Complaints Team, North East and North Cumbria ICB, Riverside House, Goldcrest  Way, Newburn Riverside Business Park, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE15 8NY

For help finding your nearest GP, dentist, pharmacist or optometrist, you can use the online search facility on the NHS UK website.

Other NHS services

If you have a concern, complaint or compliment about the provider of NHS services such as a hospital, mental health service, urgent care service, ambulance service or community service, please contact the provider directly in the first instance. If you would prefer not to approach the provider about the complaint, then please contact the ICB as below, but please note that the ICB will still need to contact the provider to investigate your complaint.

Email: necsu.complaints@nhs.net

Tel: 0191 374 4218

Post: Complaints Team, North of England Commissioning Support Unit, John Snow House, University Science Park, Durham, DH1 3YG

We aim to make sure all complaints are handled well and that appropriate action is taken to the complainant’s satisfaction. You can make your complaint in writing, by email, via a complaint form or verbally. If you make your complaint verbally, you will be asked to sign and return a written record to ensure that you agree with the contents. 

Your complaint will be acknowledged within three working days of receipt and fully investigated in a manner that is fair both to you and the staff involved. If failings are identified during the investigation, these will help us to improve the quality of local health services. You will receive a written response to your complaint which will include information on the service improvements we have identified.

To find out more about the NHS complaints procedure please visit the NHS Choices website complaints page. The complaints information leaflet also provides information about the complaints process.

We have asked the North of England Commissioning Support Unit (NECS) to manage complaints on behalf of the ICB; therefore, complaints which are received by the ICB are routinely forwarded to the NECS Complaints Team.  If you are not happy for your complaint to be shared with NECS, you must make this clear at the time of raising your complaint. 

Face to face meetings can be arranged by appointment with the NECS Complaints Team.

The care that you or your family receive will not be compromised as a result of raising a complaint/concern.

Information about complaints is available in other languages and formats upon request.

You can raise your concerns immediately by speaking to the provider of care involved. This might give you the response you require without having to take the matter further.

You can also contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) who provide a range of advice and guidance and can help to resolve concerns or problems about services and providing advice on the complaints process.  More information about PALS is available here - What is PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service)? - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Anyone can complain about NHS services or treatment they have received or if they have been affected by the actions or decisions of an NHS organisation or primary care provider (such as a GP practice, dentist, optometrist, or pharmacy). If you are unable to complain yourself, someone can act on your behalf with your consent.

A complaint should be made within 12 months from the date the issue occurred or when it came to your attention. Extenuating circumstances will be taken into consideration.

If you remain unhappy with how your complaint has been handled following the conclusion of local resolution, you can ask the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) to review your complaint.  You can contact the PHSO at the address below:

PHSO
Millbank Tower
Millbank
London
SW1P 4QP

Tel: 0345 015 4033

Email: phso.enquiries@ombudsman.org.uk
Website: www.ombudsman.org.uk

Healthwatch is an organisation set up to get your opinion and find out what matters to you to help make sure your views shape the support you need. Local Healthwatch provides information about access to services and choices available to help people by taking more control of their own health, treatment and care.

For more information go to your local Healthwatch website.
For general enquiries call 03000 683 000