Whipps Cross University Hospital

We welcome your views on the care we provide, as this can help us make improvements.

Our staff do everything they can to make sure you are treated properly and promptly, but if you are concerned about something or have a complaint or suggestion to make, please let us know.

Appreciative comments are passed on to staff, formal complaints are investigated and suggestions you have for improving services are always considered.

Compliments

Many patients and relatives are kind enough to pass on their thanks through cards to staff who have provided care.

All members of staff or teams who receive personal messages of thanks are automatically entered into the annual Employee of the Year Awards.  If you would like to nominate a member of staff or a department, you can do so in a number of ways:

• e-mail the Trust a info@whippsx.nhs.uk
• send your nomination via the Contact Us page
• write to us at: Press and Communications, Willlow Lodge,
       Whipps Cross University Hospital NHS Trust,
       Whipps Cross Road, Leytonstone, E11 1NR

The awards take place at the Annual General Meeting held in September each year.

Suggestions

The Trust strives to provide the best care for our patients and support to relatives and carers.

We welcome comments and suggestions from the public as to how  we can improve our service.  You can let us know your views in the following ways:

• Comment cards - these can be obtained from staff throughout the
       hospital and can be posted in the red boxes around the building
       or posted back to us at a later date.
• e-mail the Trust a info@whippsx.nhs.uk
• send your views via the Contact Us page
• write to us at: Press and Communications, Willlow Lodge,
       Whipps Cross University Hospital NHS Trust, Whipps Cross Road,
       Leytonstone, E11 1NR

Complaints

The Trust acknowledges the importance of an effective and efficient complaints policy.  It also recognises that complaints provide useful management information about the quality of services from the perspective of patients, their families, friends, carers, the wider general public and staff.

The Trust is committed to using complaints from patients and their relatives or carers to continuously monitor and improve the services it provides.  We welcome patients and their relatives to speak up when standards of care and service fall below their expectations.

Our staff do everything they can to make sure that all patients are treated properly and promptly.  Appreciative comments are always passed on to staff concerned, and all complaints are thoroughly investigated and any suggestions made for improving services are always considered.

However, should you have any concerns or issues and would like to make a complaint, the following information should assist you.

What can I do if I have a problem?

As soon as possible, you should tell someone close to the cause of the problem, i.e. the doctor, nurse, receptionist or ward sister for example.

In many cases it should be possible to sort out the problem straightaway.

If you would prefer to talk to someone who is not involved in your care, you can contact the Patient Advice & Liaison Service (PALS) on 020 8535 6767 or extn: 6282.

Whoever you ask to look into your concerns will do their best to sort out the problem as quickly as possible.

They will insure that any information about you is kept strictly confidential.

What if I want to complain?

If you still unhappy about the service you have received and wish to make a formal complaint, it is important to do so as soon as possible following the event.

If you are unable to complain yourself, then someone else (usually a relative or close friend) can do so for you, with your written permission.

Anyone who is receiving, or has received, NHS treatment or services has the right to complain if the service received falls short of what they expect.

Please be assured that your complaint will not prejudice the treatment and/or care being provided to the patient in question and that all the concerns or issues raised will be handled with the utmost confidence and sensitivity.

How do I complain?

If you wish to make a formal complaint, please write to:

The Complaints Manager
Whipps Cross University Hospital
Whipps Cross Road
Leytonstone
London E11 1NR

Or send an email to:  complaints@whippsx.nhs.uk

Data Protection and consent:

If you are making a complaint on behalf of another person we are obliged to contact that person in order to obtain their written consent for us to correspond with you, and release personal information about them to you.  This is in compliance with the provisions of The Data Protection Act, 1998.  Exceptions to this are as follows:

• The person is under 16 years of age, and you have parental/guardian responsibility for them.
• The person is over 16 years of age, and you hold Power of Attorney, etc., for them.  (Please note that evidence of this will need to be provided.)
• The person is deceased and you are a blood relative.

What happens next?

If you make a formal complaint, we will investigate your concerns and you will receive a full written reply from the Chief Executive.

We will make every effort to respond to you within five weeks from receiving the complaint. Where there are good reasons why this cannot be achieved, we will keep you informed of the progress. This is called Local Resolution.   (If you do not receive a response within 6 months of the date our receipt of your complaint, you are entitled to approach the Healthcare Commission for a review of your case).

Taking a complaint further:

If you are not happy with the reply you receive during Local Resolution, please write to us explaining why you remain dissatisfied. We will then reopen our investigation, offering a meeting with relevant staff, where appropriate.

If you remain dissatisfied with the outcome of Local Resolution following this second investigation, you can request that an independent review be conducted into your complaint. 

The Healthcare Commission is responsible for reviewing formal complaints about the NHS in England that have not been resolved by the NHS organisation (such as hospital, primary care trust or mental health service) or practitioner (such as GP, pharmacist, dentist or health visitor) about whom a complaint has been made. They also have responsibility for reviewing complaints about the private sector where they are providing an NHS funded service.

The request for an Independent Review should be made to the Healthcare Commission within 6 months of the date of the final response from this hospital. 

The Healthcare Commission is an independent body established to promote improvements in healthcare through the assessment of the performance of those who provide services.  You can contact the Healthcare Commission on 020 7448 9200 or write to them at:
The Healthcare Commission
Complaints Team
Peter House
Oxford Street
Manchester
M1 5AN

Or visit them at: www.healthcarecommission.org.uk

If you are refused an Independent Review, or are unhappy with the outcome or the way your complaint has been dealt with, you have the right to complain to the Health Service Commissioner (Ombudsman):

The Health Service Commissioner for England
11th Floor
Millbank Tower
London
SW1P 4QP
Tel No. 020 7217 4051

Additional advice and support services:

• PALS
  The Whipps Cross PALS Service (Patient Advice & Liaison Service) aims to advise and support patients and their relatives/carers; provide information on NHS Services; listen to your concerns, suggestions and queries and help sort out problems quickly on your behalf.  The Service can be contacted on telephone number 020 8535 6767.   
  
• Independent Complaints Advocacy Service (ICAS).  ICAS is an independent body that can advise on making a complaint and any action to take if you are not satisfied with the response you receive:
  London Region Tel:  0845 120 3784
  
• NHS Direct
  You can contact NHS Direct for information on how to complain.

Telephone No:  0845 46 47
Textphone:   0845 606 4647
Website: www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk

Website:

There is also information on the NHS website at www.nhs.uk 

Click here to view the national NHS Complaints Procedure.