How to make a complaint
Most medical care and treatment goes well but occasionally things can go wrong or you may be unhappy with your care and treatment. NHS Manchester understands that in these circumstances patients can be unhappy and wish to complain.
NHS Manchester welcomes complaints as this is how we can learn from your experiences and make improvements to our services.
The NHS complaints procedure
The NHS has a complaints procedure that is designed to be as patient focused as possible and investigate complaints effectively and efficiently.
Should I complain straight away?
NHS Manchester believes that it is worthwhile discussing your concerns early on with a member of staff involved in your care. You may be able to obtain reassurance from them and address your concerns without the need to make a complaint. Alternatively, you can contact the NHS Manchester PALS team to share your experience. If these don’t work out, you can always then make a complaint.
Who can complain?
Usually you should make the complaint about your NHS care but you can ask someone else to make your complaint with your permission. There are different rules if you are making a complaint about the care of someone who has died. You can contact the PALS team for more information about this.
When should I complain?
You should make your complaint as soon as you realise that you are unhappy with your care and treatment or as soon as you realise that something has gone wrong. The NHS complaint procedure states that you should make your complaint within 12 months of either the event you are complaining about or as soon as the matter came to your attention. This time limit can be extended as long as the complaint can still be investigated so don’t let this prevent you from sharing your complaint with us.
Can I get help to make my complaint?
You can ask someone to make your complaint on your behalf if you give them your permission. You could also contact ICAS – the Independent Complaints Advocacy Service – to help you complain. For more information on your local ICAS service click here.
Who should I complain to?
You can complain to either the provider or the commissioner of the health service you are unhappy about.
- The provider is the organisation that provides the service to you – for instance, if you are unhappy with a GP you could complain to them as the provider of your care, or if you are unhappy with a hospital you can complain to them as provider.
- As you probably know the NHS can seem quiet complex and increasingly patients are given more and more choice about how they access NHS services. NHS Manchester is the commissioner or purchaser of health services in Manchester. You can complain to NHS Manchester about any health service we commission.
To make your complaint to NHS Manchester as commissioner you can:
How long will it take?
This will most likely depend on what your complaint is about and how complex it is. The NHS complaints regulations do not require complaints to be investigated within a set timescale but instead we will agree an individual timescale with you.
How do I get further advice?
You can contact the PALS and Complaints team for further advice and we will be happy to discuss your options.
- Telephone us on Freephone – 0800 015 1462
- Email your complaint to complaints@manchester.nhs.uk
- Write to NHS Manchester, Room 3, 1st Floor, Higher Openshaw Primary Care Centre,
Ashton Old Road, Openshaw, Manchester, M11 1JG
What if I am unhappy with the response to my complaint?
If you are unhappy with our response, please contact the PALS and complaints team to discuss your remaining concerns. We will look to see if there is anything else we can do.
You have the right to take your complaint to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman if you are unhappy. The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman will then decide if they can review your complaint. For more information please click here.
More information
January 2012