If a patient or their relative has concerns regarding any element of the care received whilst an NHS patient, the best time to raise these are at the time that they actually happen. NHS Organisations regularly deal with verbal complaints and often answers can be given immediately. However, if you wish to complain in writing , you need to address you concerns to the Chief Executive of the relevant Health Board. If you want to express concerns or make a complaint about your treatment or the service you received from your GP Practice, dentist, optician you will usually need to put this in writing to the Practice Manager.
The Community Health Council (CHC) Complaints Advocacy Service can help you to use the NHS concerns process “Putting things right”.
Our Advocates can help you at any stage of the complaints process.
Raise your concern with the service provider.
If you cannot resolve your concern informally, or you would prefer to raise your concern formally our advocacy service can help you. Usually you need to raise your concern within 12 months of the events that you want to complain about. However, there may be occasions where the NHS body will consider your concern outside of these timescales.
Making a complaint to the Public Serviceman Ombudsman for Wales
If you are dissatisfied with the final response provided by the NHS you can take your complaint to the Public Service Ombudsman for Wales (PSOW).
The Ombudsman is able to consider complaints made to him within one year of the matters complained about (or within one year of the complainant becoming aware of the issue).
If your complaint is about something that happened more than a year ago, but you complained to the Health Board (or Trust) within one year, you should complain to the Ombudsman within twelve weeks of the Health Board's (or Trust's) response.
Cwm Taf Morgannwg, Community Health Council, Ty Antur, Navigation Park, Abercynon, CF45 4SN
Phone:01443 405830
Email: enquiries.ctmchc@waleschc.org.uk