Learn more about what circumstances may warrant a complaint or alternatively a compensation claim. We will advise you how to make your complaint and what you should expect from the complaints process.

Complaint or Claim - What are your options?

If you have received a poor standard care following treatment on the NHS - you may feel strongly enough to make a complaint about your experience. You may even believe that you should be entitled to claim compensation for your trauma. In many cases you might be right. The NHS Constitution gives you the right to complain.

You should make a COMPLAINT if:

- You have received poor service from a GP or hospital.
- If doctors or staff have been rude and shown a lack of courtesy
- If you have been refused treatment or thrown out of a practice unfairly 
- You have encountered longer than expected waiting times for treatment*
- You believe a doctor or certain staff may be a danger to the public

There are many more general situations which may warrant a complaint, but the above list represents the most common issues that we generally encounter.

*Note: some situations by their very nature, may be serious enough to warrant a compensation claim. Delayed treatment may be one such situation.

You should make a COMPENSATION CLAIM if:

- You have suffered injury or harm as a result of negligence
- Your condition / disease / injury has deteriorated due to a lack of care or skill
- You have suffered "detriment" in some way because of poor care

We can help you make a claim for medical negligence compensation. Get in touch today for more information about our service. More  

Know your rights

	The NHS Complaints procedure has undergone a significant overhaul during 2009. Patients now have more time to complain and the NHS has more accountability which is a step in the right direction:	The NHS Complaints procedure has undergone a significant overhaul during 2009
To have your complaint dealt with efficiently and properly investigated To hear the outcome of the complaint and investigation You may be entitled to compensation if you have been harmed.

You can take your case to the Independent Parliamentary and Health Service  Ombudsman if you are not satisfied with the NHS handling of your complaint

You can make a claim for a Judicial Review if you think you have been affected by an unlawful act or decision by the NHS

More about the new NHS Complaints Procedures introduced in April 2009

If you make a complaint within 12 MONTHS of the relevant event/poor service/advice then you have the right to have your case investigated, and be given a full and prompt response. The NHS Constitution explains your rights when it comes to making a complaint. 

There are TWO key stages to the complaints process:

Ask your hospital or trust for a copy of its complaints procedure, which will explain how to proceed. Then the process will follow two stages.

1) Firstly you should refer the case in writing to the local medical professional or organisation management team. This is called local resolution, and most cases are resolved at this stage.

2) If you're still unhappy, you can refer the matter to the Health Ombudsman (Independent Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman) who is independent of the NHS and government. You can contact them directly on 0345 015 4033

Who can complain?

A complaint can be made by a patient OR someone acting on behalf of the patient or person, with their consent.

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Call our specialists on 0800 0322210 for FREE INFORMAL ADVICE on the merits of your case. We will then discuss how any claim can go forward and which funding option would be available to you.

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