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At Hinchingbrooke Health Care NHS Trust, we aim to ensure that as a patient you are treated properly and promptly. However, if you do wish to raise some concerns, our complaints procedure is as follows.
Anyone who is receiving, or has received, NHS treatment can complain. If you are unable to complain yourself, then someone else, usually a relative or close friend, can complain on your behalf.
However, if there is a concern relating to medical issues, the consent of the patient is required.
It is best to make a complaint as soon as possible after the problem occurs – usually the Trust will only investigate complaints that are either:
If the time lapse between the event and the complaint is too long, it is more difficult to investigate and it may not be possible to do so effectively and efficiently.
You can complain to the Trust or to the commissioner of the service i.e. the Primary Care Trust but it is usually better wherever possible to tell someone close to the cause of the complaint – a doctor, nurse or receptionist for example. In many cases, it should be possible to sort out the problem straight away. If you would prefer to talk to someone who is not involved in your care, you can telephone or write to the Patient Advice & Liaison Manager (PALS) or the Complaints Department Complaints Contact Details
This part of the procedure is called Local Resolution.
The Trust takes all complaints seriously and endeavours to take action to improve the service available whenever possible. The Trust will carry out a full investigation into your complaint, involving appropriate staff in order to sort out the problem as quickly as possible. Your complaint will be acknowledged within 3 working days and you will be invited to discuss your complaint and how it will be investigated with an agreement on the timeframe for a response.
In any event we will endeavour to ensure that you receive a full response within 25 working days.
Where there are reasons for this timescale not being achieved, the Trust will keep you informed accordingly.
At any stage during your complaint, you may wish to contact your local POhWER Independent Complaints Advocacy Services (ICAS) for support and assistance: Complaints Contact Details
We hope that the response you receive from the Trust answers your complaint satisfactorily. If you feel it does not, please contact the Complaints Manager in the first instance.
The Trust may review the issues you have raised if appropriate. This is also part of what is known as Local Resolution. Often, the most helpful course of action, where a complainant remains dissatisfied, is for them to meet with clinicians or other relevant staff in order to discuss the issues face to face.
If you would llike such a meeting to be arranged, or you feel there is any other action the Trust can reasonably take at this Local Resolution stage, please do not hesitate to contact the Complaints Manager.
If you remain dissatified with the response to you complaint, you have the right to ask the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman to review your case within six months of receiving a final response from the local healthcare provider. Complaints Contact Details
Last modified 26/01/11 14:04:51
Hinchingbrooke Hospital
Hinchingbrooke Park, Huntingdon
Cambs PE29 6NT
Hinchingbrooke Direct:
01480 416416
