Need help to complain about NHS-funded services?
POhWER can help you make a complaint about NHS hospitals, GPs, ambulance services, district nurses, mental health services, dentists (if they treat you as an NHS patient), pharmacists (if you had an NHS prescription) or your optician (if the NHS pays for your eye tests and glasses).
If the NHS paid for you to be treated at a private hospital or if the NHS pays all or part of someone’s care home fees, this is also covered by the complaints process.
The service offers a self-help pack if you feel able to pursue the complaint yourself. It can also provide an advocate for people who need more support to complain.
What NHS Complaints Advocacy can do:
- Give you information about how to complain including who to complain to
- Explain the complaints process and your options at each stage of the process
- Signpost you to other organisations who can help you, if we can’t
- Send you an information pack to help you make your complaint yourself
- Provide you with an advocate to support you if you need more help
What the service can't do:
- Investigate your complaint
- Support you with a complaint about something that happened more than 12 months ago, unless you have only just found out that something went wrong or you have a good reason for not complaining sooner. This is because the NHS regulations say you should complain within 12 months.
- Support you with a complaint about private health care
- Support you to complain about a medical professional’s fitness to practise (whether they are able to do their job)
- Give you legal advice
- Give you medical advice
For more information visit POhWER's London Independent Health Complaints Advocacy Service website or call 0300 456 2370 for more information or to request an advocate.
