Complaints
While most patients receive a high standard of service from NHS services, there are times when individuals may feel dissatisfied with the care or service provided.
At PICS Pain Service, patient feedback is important to us, as it helps us improve the care and services we provide. We take all complaints seriously and are committed to addressing your concerns promptly, fairly, and to your satisfaction wherever possible.
You should normally make any complaint within 12 months of an incident or of it coming to your attention. This time limit can be extended if you have good reasons for not making the complaint sooner and it’s still possible for us to complete a fair investigation. This decision will be made by our complaints manager together with you.
The complaints process
Complaints can be made in person to your clinician, by telephone, by writing either a letter or email or by completing our contact form. Complaints should be addressed to the Service Manager, Karen Bush.
Karen Bush
Service Manager
Primary Integrated Community Services Ltd
Unit H3
Ash Tree Court
Nottingham Business Park
Nottingham
NG8 6PY
pics.picscommunitypainclinic@nhs.net
When we receive a complaint, we will acknowledge it within three working days through the method in which you sent the original complaint. We aim to write to you with the result of the complaint within 25 working days. If we can’t meet our original expected timeframe, we will provide regular updates on the progress of your complaint.
If you make an anonymous complaint via a channel over which we can’t verify your identity (e.g. over social media), we will listen to it and where possible, address it. However, we will not be able to respond to you with any details. If it’s possible for us to do so, we will advise you of the other ways you can feedback where we can offer a fuller response.
Please be assured that making a complaint will not affect your ongoing care or treatment. We are committed to dealing with all complaints fairly and compassionately, and we will make every effort to resolve the matter to your satisfaction.
Wherever possible, we aim to learn from complaints and take appropriate action to prevent similar issues from occurring in the future.
Complaining on Behalf of Someone Else
We adhere strictly to the rules of medical confidentiality. If you wish to make a complaint on behalf of another person, we will require their written permission to proceed. We will send you a third-party consent form which must be completed before we can further investigate the complaint or release any information.
If the patient is unable to provide their consent due to illness or incapacity, you should clearly state this as part of the complaint.
How do I complain to someone Independent?
Although we would prefer to have the opportunity to answer complaints ourselves in the first instance, you may pass your complaint directly to:
Patient Experience Team
Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Board
Sir John Robinson House
Sir John Robinson Way
Arnold
Nottingham
NG5 6DA
Tel: 0115 8839570
Email: nnicb-nn.patientexperience@nhs.net
If you would like further information, please follow the link to the ICB website: www.notts.icb.nhs.uk/contact-us/patient-advice-and-complaints/
Escalating your complaint
If you are not satisfied with the outcome of the complaint or the way in which it has been handled, you can contact the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) on 0345 015 4033.
For more information see their website www.ombudsman.org.uk
Complaints advocacy
If you need help to make a complaint you can contact POWhER. POWhER is an independent organisation that provides NHS complaints advocacy free of charge and confidentially. They can be contacted on 0300 456 2370. More information is available on their website www.pohwer.net/nhs-complaints-advocacy