Our user friendly guides

• Download our guide to the NHS complaints process (PDF document 500 KB)
• Download our information sheet on writing a complaint letter (PDF document 122 KB)
• Download our template complaint letter (Word document 30 KB)

Resolving a concern informally

If you have an ongoing experience which is causing concern and you want this to be put right, it is usually best to contact the healthcare organisation directly. Where the NHS organisation has one you should do this through their Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS). You can find more information about how to raise a concern with different NHS services on our NHS services page

Making a complaint

If you cannot resolve your problem informally, or if the issue that you are concerned about has happened in the past but you feel that it was unacceptable, you can make a formal complaint to the organisation concerned.

If you are dissatisfied with the response provided by the NHS organisation you can take your complaint to the Health Service Ombudsman. 

We can give you information to help you make the complaint yourself. Or where you need more help we can connect you with complaints advocacy support to help with things like writing letters, attending meetings with you or if needed raising issues with the Ombudsman.

Complaints Advocacy Service

Independent, confidential advice and support with making complaints about NHS services.

Telephone on 024 7625 2011 Monday to Friday 9.30 - 4.00pm. Outside these hours you can leave a message on our answer machine