Frequently Asked Questions
I believe my hospital/doctor have been negligent. What can I do?In cases where treatment has been provided under the NHS, generally we recommend that as your first step you raise a complaint through the NHS Complaints Procedure. This procedure is designed to investigate what has happened by speaking to the people involved and thereafter they should provide you with an explanation of what has happened. There are 2 parts to the procedure: local resolution and independent review. Most complaints are resolved within the local Resolution stage but some go on to independent review. We will provide you with advice on how to make a complaint and how to follow it through.
Where you have been treated by a dentist you would complain to the practice in the first instance and if your complaint is unresolved it may be appropriate to pursue the complaint to the General Dental Council.
Where treated privately by a doctor or other healthcare professionals, such as physiotherapists you can complain through professional bodies representing those individuals and in the case of private hosptials and nursing homes you can involve the Healthcare Commission
We can advise you on your options in our inital advice.
Useful websites for complaints:
http://www.healthcarecommission.org.uk/Homepage.cfm
http://www.ombudsman.org.uk/make_a_complaint/index.html
www.avma.org.uk - click on specialist leaflets for some excellent guidance on making complaints
Council for Regulatory Excellence
www.crhp.org.uk
General Chiropractic Council
www.gcc-uk.org
General Dental Council
www.gdc-uk.org
General Medical Council
www.gmc-uk.org
General Optical Council
www.optical.org
General Osteopathic Council
www.osteopathy.org.uk
Health Professions Council
www.hpc-uk.org
Healthcare Commission
www.healthcarecommission.org.uk
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency
www.mhra.gov.uk
Nursing and Midwifery Council
www.nmc-uk.org
Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland
www.dotpharmacy.com
Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain
www.rpsgb.org
