Just thought I would put some info together for peeps.

NHS Complaints procedure

Most medical care and treatment goes well, but things occasionally go wrong, and you may want to complain. So where do you start? Every NHS organisation has a complaints procedure. To find out about it, ask a member of staff, look on the hospital or trust's website, or contact the complaints department for more information.

You may want to make positive comments on the care and services that you've received. These comments are just as important because they tell NHS organisations which factors are contributing to a good experience for patients.

If you wish to make a complaint about an NHS organisation, contact them directly first. If you're not sure where to start or how to get in touch with an NHS body or independent regulator, try one of the following options.

Complaint against an NHS Practitioner

If you think an NHS practitioner or social services employee has been guilty of professional misconduct, you can complain to their professional or regulatory body.

Examples of professional misconduct include:

• practitioners who have a sexual relationship with a patient,
  
• practitioners who claim that they're competent to practise but are not,
  
• practitioners who falsely claim that they're qualified to practise,
  
• breaching confidentiality, and
  
• manipulating patient's medical records.
  

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman

If you have tried the NHS complaints procedure but are dissatisfied with the response to your complaint, contact the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman. The Ombudsman carries out independent investigations into complaints about government departments, their agencies and the NHS.

Include the following details in your complaint:

• your name, address and telephone number,
  
• name and contact details of anyone helping you with the complaint,
  
• name and contact details of the healthcare provider you wish to complain about,
  
• the factual details of your complaint (listing the main events and when they happened),
  
• why you think your previous complaint wasn’t resolved to your satisfaction, and how this has caused you injustice,
  
• details of the complaints you've already made to the healthcare provider and the outcome of their investigations, and
  
• copies of any relevant documents (it's usually helpful to number these and provide a list).
  

Keep copies of everything you post, and make a note of when you send it.

The healthcare professional regulators in England are:

• Doctors: the General Medical Council,
  
• Nurses and midwives: the Nursing and Midwifery Council
  
• Dentists, dental hygienists and dental therapists: the General Dental Council.
  
• Dispensing opticians and optometrists: the General Optical Council.
  
• Pharmacists: the General Pharmaceutical Council.
  
• Arts therapists, biomedical scientists, chiropodists and podiatrists, clinical scientists, dietitians, occupational therapists, operating department practitioners, orthoptists, paramedics, physiotherapists, practitioner psychologists, prosthetists and orthotists, radiographers, speech and language therapists and social workers in England: the Health and Care Professionals Council.
  
• Osteopaths: the General Osteopathic Council.
  
• Chiropractors: the General Chiropractic Council.
  

Please feel free to add or shout for more info.

Useful stuff, Night Owl, thank you very much.

NHS Scotland

Plus the 14 Regional NHS Boards

NHS Wales

NHS Ireland

Thank you Night Owl. Thread stickied and closed.

Anyone with questions or problems should start their own thread.