Advice and complaints Service

If you want to let us know when we have done something well, or indeed when we haven’t come up to scratch, then C&I’s Advice and Complaints Service is here to help.

We encourage you to raise any concerns that you have about the care or treatment that we provide to you with the staff in the team that you are seeing. They, or the team manager, will do their best to sort things out for you. However, if they’re not able to resolve your concerns, you can contact the Advice and Complaints Service and we will liaise with the team on your behalf. Resolving issues or concerns informally can often be most beneficial as it means that things can be put right quickly and simply. However, the Trust recognises that all users of our services have the right to make a formal complaint, and the Advice and Complaints Service can offer you advice and support if you decide that you want your concerns to be formally investigated.

The Advice and Complaints Service is confidential and the team will not contact other people without the consent of those raising the concern or complaint. We can reassure you that it is Trust policy that contacting the service or making a complaint will not harm or prejudice the care that you or your relative receives. If you cannot raise the concern or complaint yourself then someone else such as a relative, friend or advocate can complain on your behalf, if they have your consent to do so.

If you decide to make a formal complaint, we will aim to respond to you within 25 working days or we will negotiate a timescale with you, depending upon the issues you raise and how long we will need to thoroughly investigate them. Your complaint should be formally acknowledged within 3 working days and you will be advised of the timescale for response in that letter. We always aim to respond to you within these timeframes, but occasionally it may take longer, for example in cases of staff absence, and we will always let you know if this is the case. You should expect to be contacted by the manager who investigates your complaint and to be offered the opportunity to meet. Your formal complaint will be responded to by the Chief Executive.

It’s also important for teams to know when they are doing things well. This is encouraging for staff and also allows us to share good practice. You can send positive feedback directly to the team concerned or to us in the Advice and Complaints Service.

How to contact the Advice and Complaints Service

The Advice and Complaints Service is open between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday. The team provides a telephone advice service, and also accepts enquiries by letter and email. If you wish to meet with a member of the service please telephone first to make an appointment to ensure someone is available. We are based at the St Pancras site but we also visit our wards and services on a regular basis.

Phone number: 020 3317 7102

Email address: feedback@candi.nhs.uk

You can write to us at the address below:

If you need the support of an interpreter to tell us about your concerns or you have a hearing or visual impairment please contact us and we will make appropriate arrangements.

Can I take my complaint further?

We will do our best to resolve your complaint locally, but if we are not able to do this you have the right to ask the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman to independently investigate your complaint. To do this you can contact them directly by telephoning their complaints helpline on 034 5015 4033.

How do I get independent advice and support in making a complaint?

You can contact the NHS Complaints Advocacy Service which is provided by Rethink. 

• Phone: 0300 7900 559
• Email: candi@rethink.org
• Website: www.rethink.org

Read a leaflet about this free service here.