Complaints

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Complaints

  • Who can I talk to if I am unhappy with my care?

    At Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, we are dedicated to giving you the best care and services. We are always looking for ways to improve.

    We want to hear from you if you think we have done something well or if you have ideas on how we can do better. If you are unhappy with our service or want to make a complaint, we want to know that too. Your opinions matter to us.

    If you’re not happy with a service at one of our hospitals, it’s a good idea to talk about your concerns early on with someone on the ward or in the team providing your care. They might be able to fix the issue quickly. Sometimes, misunderstandings can be easily sorted out.

    Most problems can be solved this way, but if you prefer to speak to someone not directly involved in your care, you can contact our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) to discuss your concerns or ask questions.

    As a Trust, we believe in learning and improving. We see feedback, concerns, and complaints as chances to reflect and get better.

    Every comment or complaint helps us review our service to make sure we are meeting your needs. If you are feeling unhappy, upset, or angry, please know that we want to understand and fix the problem. Raising a concern will not affect your care in any way. We can only improve if we know what’s not working well.

  • I want to make a formal complaint

    You can submit a complaint using this online form.

    This will be sent directly to the complaints team who will acknowledge your contact within 3 working days. The form will guide you to provide us the information we need to investigate your complaint; however, we may still need to contact you to discuss your concerns further or obtain additional information or consent.

    Alternatively, you can contact the complaints team by:

    • email at: wah-tr.Complaints@nhs.net
    • telephone: 0300 123 1733
    • Complaints Department
      Kings Court 3
      Charles Hastings Way
      Worcester
      WR5 1JR

    Please include your name and contact details, as well as the name of the patient (if you are raising a complaint on behalf of someone else) date of birth or NHS number and a telephone number or email address for us to contact them on. Include the details of your complaint, including dates and which hospital, department or ward it relates to. We are unable to investigate a complaint without this information.

    Unfortunately, the complaints team are unable to provide clinical advice, change treatment plans or waiting lists.

    If you have concerns about your immediate care please contact the PALS team. If you are unwell and require medical advice, please contact your GP, NHS111 or 999 if it is an emergency. For patients currently admitted to one of our wards, urgent concerns about their condition should be raised with the Nurse in Charge or Ward Manager.

  • I’m unhappy, but don’t want to go down the formal route

    Our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) team are available to help if you would prefer to deal with your concerns in a more informal, or prompt manner. They can also help direct you to the most appropriate person if you have questions about ongoing care or treatment plans.

    Find out more about our Patient and Advice Liaison Service.

  • When can I make a complaint?

    Complaints should normally be made within 12 months of an incident or of it coming to your attention. This time limit can be extended provided you have good reasons for not making the complaint sooner and it’s possible to complete a fair investigation. This will be a decision taken by the complaints manager in discussion with you.

  • Who can make a complaint?

    Anyone who has received care from Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust can raise a complaint about the care they received.

    Our hospitals include:

    • Worcestershire Royal Hospital, Worcester
    • Alexandra General Hospital, Redditch
    • Kidderminster Hospital and Treatment Centre

    If a patient is unable to make a complaint themselves, a third party can raise it on their behalf. Please be aware that we may require the patient's consent before we can begin investigating the complaint.

    If the person cannot give their consent, for example, if they have died or lack mental capacity, or are a child who cannot complain for themselves, you may be able to complain for them.

    A member of our Complaints Team will be able to provide more information about the consent process if applicable.

  • What happens after you have made a complaint?

    We will send you an acknowledgement within three working days and provide more information and a consent form if needed. The division responsible for the service you are complaining about will investigate your complaint. They will usually try to call you in the first week to discuss it.

    Our goal is to reply within 25 working days. However, for complex complaints, we may need more time to fully investigate your concerns. Your Investigating Officer will talk to you if it will take longer to respond.

    Once we have fully investigated your complaint, you will receive a formal response from the Trust. This response will detail the outcome of our investigation, the lessons we learned, and the actions we took because of your complaint.

  • What we can’t investigate

    We can investigate complaints about care or services provided by our Trust. Unfortunately, we cannot respond to complaints about other NHS providers. If you have concerns about multiple providers, including WAHT, our Complaints Team can advise you on your options.

    We understand how frustrating it can be to wait for an appointment, test, or surgery. As a Trust, we are working hard to reduce waiting times and aim to see all patients as soon as possible. Waiting lists are based on individual clinical needs, the severity of the condition, and the availability of services. Unfortunately, the complaints process cannot help you be seen sooner. If you need to be seen sooner, please contact the team providing your care. Their details will be on your appointment or clinic letter. If your condition is getting worse, please speak with your GP.

    We know that parking can be very challenging at all three of our sites as demands on our hospitals increase. We have heard your concerns and are working closely with Worcestershire County Council to improve parking for patients and staff.

  • I need help raising my complaint – Advocacy and Ombudsman

    Onside Advocacy can provide independent advice and support for you throughout the complaints process. This service is free, independent and confidential.

    Contact number: 01905 27525
    Email: info@onside-advocacy.org.uk

    Address:

    Onside Independent Advocacy
    Williamson House
    14 Charles Street
    Worcester
    WR1 2AQ

    Health Service Ombudsman

    If you are not happy with how we have handled your complaint you can contact the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.

    Contact number: 0345 0154033
    Website: www.ombudsman.org.uk

    Address:

    The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
    Millbank Tower
    Millbank
    London
    SW1P 4QP

    Care Quality Commission

    You can also let the Care Quality Commission know about any concerns that you have, although they will not investigate your complaint. You can contact them at:

    Contact number: 03000 616161
    Website: www.cqc.org.uk
    Email: enquiries@cqc.org.uk

    Address:

    CQC National Contact Centre
    Citygate
    Gallowgate
    Newcastle Upon Tyne
    NE1 4PA


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