Support with NHS Complaints
A family had raised serious concerns about medication practices, seizure activity, safeguarding issues, and limited communication from the clinical team for their family member who was a patient detained under the Mental Health Act at Cauldon Centre. He has a long history of mental health difficulties, with previous admissions and community mental health involvement. The family felt excluded and uncertain about how to raise concerns effectively.
Action plan
The IHCA Service:
- Supported the family in drafting and submitting a formal complaint outlining concerns about medication management, seizure activity, safeguarding, and communication failures.
- Liaised with PALS to ensure the family understood processes and had access to appropriate guidance.
- Escalated concerns about the client’s wellbeing, seizure episodes, and safety risks to ensure formal recognition by the service.
- Maintained regular contact to monitor risks and gather updates, recording issues for advocacy purposes.
- Acted as a consistent communication link between the family and mental health team to ensure questions were addressed and their voice included in decision‑making.
- Provided ongoing support in understanding their rights, next steps, and the evolving complaint process
Outcomes achieved
- A formal complaint was drafted with the family and acknowledged by the service.
- The family were supported to clearly express concerns about medication, seizures, safeguarding, and communication.
- Advocacy became an established point of contact between the family and clinical team.
- Early safety and wellbeing concerns were documented and escalated within the advocacy process.
- PALS involvement provided an additional layer of support.
- The family felt reassured that advocacy support would continue throughout the process.
Key Learning
This case demonstrates the importance of timely, responsive advocacy in complex inpatient settings.
Advocacy ensured the family’s concerns were formally recognised while bridging communication gaps caused by limited consultant availability.
Early intervention helped highlight potential risks related to medication, physical health monitoring, and safeguarding. The advocate’s involvement reduced the family’s distress, strengthened their understanding of the complaint process, and ensured their voice informed ongoing care decisions.
The case also highlights how individual advocacy can reveal broader systemic issues in monitoring and patient safety.
Do you need support with and NHS complaint?
The Independent Health Complaints Advocacy service are here as a free, independent body, to help support you through the NHS complaints procedure.
