Complaints and concerns
Complaints about GP surgery, Dental Practice, Pharmacy or Optometrist
You have the right to make a complaint if you are not satisfied with the care you received from the NHS.
In the first instance, patients are encouraged to make their complaints directly to the Primary Care Organisation itself, i.e. the GP Surgery, the Dental Practice, Pharmacy or Optometrist.
However, if the patient would prefer to make their complaint to the commissioner of the service, they can contact the NHS England contact centre as follows:
NHS Customer Centre on 0300 311 22 33 or by email:
The complaint is logged at the contact centre and the details are then forwarded directly to the Area Team for processing.
If the patient has already complained in the first instance to the organisation itself, and you have provided a response in full, the complainant cannot then bring their complaint to the NHS England Area Team. They must either come back to you to establish if more can be done to achieve local resolution, or they should be directed to the Parliamentary Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO), who they can ask to review their complaint.
If you have a complaint about a GP or dental practice, you can contact NHS England using the details below:
In post:
NHS England
PO Box 16738
Redditch, B97 9PT
By phone:
0300 311 22 33
By email:
england.contactus@nhs.net
Complaints about NHS 111 or SEPT
You can send your complaint to the CCG using the contact details above, or contact NHS 111 or SEPT directly:
For complaints about NHS 111, email complaints.ic24@nhs.net.
For complaints about SEPT, call 0800 0857935 or email complaints.department@sept.nhs.uk.
Complaints relating to Southend University Hospitals Foundation Trust
Complaints Team
Southend Hospital
Prittlewell Chase
Westcliff-on-sea
Essex
SS0 0RY
01702 435555 ext 5144
The NHS complaints procedure
For more advice about the NHS complaints procedure, including information about your rights, who can help you with your complaint and where to start, visit NHS Choices:
www.nhs.uk/choiceintheNHS/Rightsandpledges/complaints/Pages/NHScomplaints.aspx