Complaints

Your feedback and complaints help us to make our services better and learn from our mistakes.

Find the relevant complaints team

We can only look into comments, compliments and complaints for our services. We do not provide all the NHS services in the areas we serve.

We cannot look into comments, compliments and complaints for services outside our organisation like GPs or hospitals. You will need to contact your GP or the hospital directly.

We will take your issue or concern seriously at every step.

Complaining can be hard and stressful. Remember, you have the right to complain. We want to make the complaints process simple and easy.

Complaints process

Complaining can be hard and stressful. Remember, you have the right to complain. We want to make the complaints process simple and easy

Using an advocate

It can be hard to tell other people about your experience and perspective on a situation. It can also be hard to find the right information and support for you and your needs.

Advocates help people to explain their needs and get support. Advocates are independent. They work with the NHS but are not part of the NHS.

You can use an advocate at any point during the complaints process.

Local advocacy groups

POhWER

Cambridgeshire, Luton, Norfolk, Peterborough and Suffolk advocacy provider. Call 0300 456 2364.

POhWER

VoiceAbility

Advocacy provider in Bedfordshire. Call 0300 330 5454.

Voiceability

1. Tell the person providing the care

Many issues and concerns can be resolved quickly. Especially when you raise them directly with the person providing the care.

Raising it directly gives you a chance to explain your issues or concerns. It also gives the person providing the care an opportunity to discuss and fix your issue or concern.

We understand you may not feel comfortable tell the person who provides your care. In this situation you can tell PALS team who will raise the issue or concern on your behalf.

2. Raise with Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)

PALS are a team within East of England Community Health and Care NHS Trust (EEC). We will raise your issue or concerns on your behalf. We make sure they are fully investigated. We are your main point of contact throughout the process.

We will do everything we can to resolve your complaint. This includes arranging meetings with the staff involved and seeking independent medical advice.

Every complaint is unique and will need a discussion. We will open an investigation to look into your specific issues and concerns. It may take us some time to investigate.

At the end of the investigation, tell you the result and any learning using your preferred contact method. You will receive an explanation about what happened and any actions that have been taken.

If you would like a written response to your complaints or comments, we aim to provide a full response in:

35 working days, for complaints with up to 5 issues
40 working days, for more complex complaints and joint complaints with other organisations

We keep you up-to-date with the expected timeline for your response. We will let you know if the investigation is taking longer than expected.

3. If you are still unhappy, tell Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO)

The Ombudsman will expect you to complain to us first. Use the Ombudsman complaints checker to see if they are the right place for you to complain to.

Visit Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) website to learn more about their complaints process.

Complaints

Find the relevant complaints team

Complaints process

Using an advocate

Local advocacy groups

POhWER

VoiceAbility

1. Tell the person providing the care

2. Raise with Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)

Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Luton and Peterborough

Norfolk PALS

Norfolk Complaints

3. If you are still unhappy, tell Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO)

You must log in to save content

You must log in to save content