Patient Advice & Liaison Service (PALS)/Complaints Department
We are here to listen to you, offer advice and help and act on your concerns by offering on the spot help and advice. This is a completely free and confidential service.
Our department deals with any of the following:
Your comments, concerns, complaints and compliments with regards to Health and social care.
Informal concerns
As a patient, relative or carer you may sometimes need to turn to someone for on-the-spot help, advice and support or you may wish to raise a concern about any aspect of your care but do not want to make a formal complaint. Our PALS / Complaints team can help you with this
We are here to actively listen and assist you with any problems you may have with local Health Services in your community. This includes:
- GPs
- Choose and Book
- Service provided in Kingsgate House
- Dentists
- Opticians
- Health Clinics
- Health Centres
- Pharmacists
- Any community nursing services
We will, when we can, sort out problems quickly on your behalf.
We also give advice and information and can:
- Provide up to date information about health services and certain health conditions
- Liaise with other local services within Stockport.
- Give up to date information on voluntary organisations and groups who offer support.
- Explain about NHS complaint procedures and advise on independent bodies who can help you make a complaint.
Compliments
We always appreciate compliments and ensure these are passed to the staff / department involved. You can let us know if you are pleased with any aspect of our service by contacting the PALS/Complaints Manager.
Formal Complaints
Health and Social Care now share the same regulations on handling complaints. (The Local Authority Social Services and National Health Service Complaints (England) 2009).
The people who look after your health will do whatever they can to make sure you are treated properly and promptly. But sometimes things do go wrong. The aim will be to give you a quick, but thorough, response which answers your concerns properly, and where possible, by those who know the most about your care. Any information which is given to us will be treated in confidence, and will not affect the healthcare that you receive. However we would hope to use what we learn from complaints to improve the services we offer.
Who can complain?
Anyone who is receiving, or has received services from NHS or Social Care can complain. A complaint may be made by a patient or person affected or likely to be affected by the actions or decisions of an NHS organisation or Social Services. In some cases an individual can complain on another person’s behalf.
If you are unable to complain yourself, a relative or close friend can complain for you with your consent.
It is important that you make your complaint as soon as possible after the cause of the complaint. The NHS will only investigate complaints that are
made within 12 months of the cause of the complaint.
However, the time limit can be waived if there are good reasons why you could not have complained sooner.
Who do I complain to?
Wherever possible, you should tell someone close to the cause of your complaint (for example a doctor, dentist, chemist, optometrist, nurse, receptionist or practice manager. In many cases, it should be possible to sort out the problem straightaway.
If you wish to, you can make your complaint to NHS Stockport, PALS/Complaints Department, who will look in to your complaint and ask the organisation/service involved to investigate your complaint and provide you with a response.
This part of the procedure is called Local Resolution.
Whoever looks into your complaint will do their best to sort out the problem as quickly as possible. Sometimes they may need to involve other staff to establish what has happened and decide what action to take. Any information about you will be kept confidential.
What happens when I have complained?
When you make a formal complaint, the PALS/Complaints office will agree with you how your complaint will be investigated and a reasonable date by which you should have a response. If for any reason there is going to be a delay in the investigation, we will keep you informed and agree a new date by which you can expect to receive a full response.
We can also offer the services of an independent person, known as a conciliator. If both parties agree, he/she will meet with you and the practitioner either together or separately to try and help resolve your complaint.
Care will be taken at all times throughout the NHS Complaints Procedure to ensure that only information which is relevant to the complaint is given to those people who need to know.
What if Local Resolution is unsuccessful?
If local resolution is unsuccessful and you are still dissatisfied after the NHS complaints procedure has been completed you can ask the Health Service Ombudsman to consider your case. It must be emphasised that the Health Service Ombudsman will only look at a case if all Local Resolution options have been exhausted.
What can’t be dealt with under the NHS complaints system?
There are some things which cannot be dealt with under the NHS complaints system.
These include:
- Complaints about private treatment
- Events requiring investigation by a professional disciplinary body
Talk to the PALS/Complaints Manager or your family practitioner if you are unsure whether your complaint is definitely about the NHS.
Where can I get further advice or help?
NHS Stockport’s PALS/Complaints Manager can provide advice on how to make a formal complaint, including a complaint about a primary care practitioner.
The Independent Complaints Advocacy Services (ICAS) are able to support people who want to complain about the NHS or Social Care. (Contact details on back of leaflet)
The Department of Health’s website also has information on the NHS complaints procedure – www.dh.gov.uk
The information in this leaflet is available on request in LARGE PRINT and on audio tape. Please contact the Complaints Manager at Stockport Primary Care Trust on 0161 426 5039.
A free interpreting service is available if you need help with this information. Please telephone Stockport English Language Service on: 0161 477 9000.
Useful Contacts
PALS/Complaints Manager
NHS Stockport
7th Floor Regent House
Heaton Lane, Stockport SK4 1BS
Tel: 0161 426 5888
Minicom: 0161 477 2585
Complaints.email@nhsstockport.nhs.uk
PALS@nhsstockport.nhs.uk
Local ICAS - (Independent Complaints Advocacy Service)
Your local ICAS can help with making your complaint.
They can be contacted on
Tel: 0300 456 8350
www.carersfederation.co.uk
The Ombudsman
The Health Service Ombudsman for England
Millbank Tower, Millbank
London SW1P 4QP
Tel: 0345 015 4033
www.ombudsman.org.uk.
NHS STOCKPORT – Working Together For Your Health