■Introduction■

It is the right of every health service user, carer, relative or friend to bring to the attention of the Trust aspects of the Trust’s services about which they are unhappy.

We hope that the following information will help you understand the next steps in the complaints process.

■Third Party Consent■

If you are acting on behalf of a service user, it may be necessary for third party consent to be provided. To this end, attached to the Trust’s acknowledgement letter, there will be a form which should be completed and signed by the service user and returned in the stamped addressed envelope provided.

This will enable patient sensitive information, appropriate to the complaint, to be shared with you.

■Access to Health Records■

In order to investigate and fully answer the complaint, it may be essential to examine the service user’s health record and associated documents. If the service user does not agree to the examination of their health record, please telephone the Customer Services Department, at the outset, on 0800 318850. Without such agreement, however, it may not be possible to fully answer your complaint.

■Multiagency Complaint■

Sometimes complaints can span more organisations, eg other Trusts, General Practitioners, Social Care. If this is the case, you will be sent a form to complete giving the Trust permission to share your complaint with the relevant partner organisations. This will enable a co-ordinated response to be provided to you.

■Advocacy Services■

Attached to the acknowledgement letter is a leaflet which offers information on how to contact the NHS Complaints Advocacy, who can support you through the complaints process.

■What happens next?■

You may be contacted by the Investigating Officer, in order that your concerns can be discussed in more detail or if further clarification is required.

An investigation will then commence, which may include a review of the service user’s health record, pertinent staff being interviewed and, if appropriate, independent clinical advice sought.

We always aim to conclude complaints within 25 working days, however, if it appears that we are unable to keep to this timescale, you will be contacted and an extension to the timescale negotiated.

■What is the next step if I require ■further clarification on the findings?

The Trust welcomes the opportunity to clarify any of the issues investigated. Arrangements can be made for you to discuss the outcome further with the Investigating Officer.

If this is an option you would like to take forward following receipt of the investigation findings, a member of the Customer Services Department would be pleased to facilitate this for you. To this end, the Customer Services Department can be contacted on 0800 318850.

■What happens if I still remain ■dissatisfied or do not wish to discuss my complaint further with the Trust?

You do have recourse to request consideration of an independent review of your complaint by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman. An explanatory leaflet will be given to you at the time of you receiving the findings of the investigation.

Reassurance is given that your care or treatment will not be affected by the fact that you or someone else has made a complaint on your behalf.

June 2015

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OUR COMPLAINTS PROCESS

EXPLAINED

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