Changes to the NHS complaints system

From the 1 April 2009 a simpler complaints process for the NHS in England was introduced. First, people should make their complaint to their local NHS body or practice, starting with the 'Complaints Manager'.
For care home patients this would be the NHS Primary Care Trust or the Strategic Health Authority, although you may be able to bypass the latter. 'Phone them and ask what you should do!

If people are not satisfied with the way a local NHS body or practice has dealt with their complaint they can ask the Health Service Ombudsman to look into it.
In addition, health and social care complaints are now part of the same complaints system. Social care complaints that are not resolved locally will need to be brought to the attention of the Local Government Ombudsman and the Ombudsmen can work together on complaints that cross the boundaries of both systems.

To find out how to make a complaint, see:
Can the Ombudsman help you?

Link to Local Government Ombudsman (link opens in a new window)

I exhausted the Complaints Manager over a period of 18 months. Spent a further year exhausting the local authority.

I then first contacted the LGO in Feb this year; the PHSO in March this year.

I submitted a library's worth of evidence, because I was told that once I had submitted my complaint(s), I could not add any further evidence, unless it really was fresh and newly discovered.

I am still waiting for them to come together and decide whether to investigate 'anything' at all.
The one can't make a decision without the other one. The one can't inform me of what he/she/they have decided ... until the other makes their decision.

So, in spite of asking repeatedly for updates, I am no further forward. But that's to be expected, I suppose. To date, I don't even know whether they will just reject my request for them to carry out a joint investigation ... the longer it all takes, the more likely it is that they will just say "thank you so much for your letter. We have decided to do nothing at all."

So, "plus ca change .... plus c'est la meme chose".

Victoria it seems to me the complaints systems suck you in, spin you around then spit you back out again.Every obstacle they can put in your way they will. I am not relishing my task one little bit.I havent read through the information yet but was wondering is there a time limit set on complaints as well?

Steve thanks for that information more to pour over and absorb.

Regards Dee

I think I've just picked up that Assstant social workers need no formal qualifications ie social work, at all? Anybody else see that? In the news maybe TV