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Compliments and complaints
NHS BaNES, Swindon & Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group (BSW CCG) is committed to responding to patient needs and encouraging a culture that seeks and uses people’s experiences of care to improve the commissioning of services. We welcome your suggestions and feedback about both the services we commission and CCG provided services. We want to resolve any problems you may experience to help make local healthcare services more effective.
Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) and Complaints Service
You can ask for advice, information or talk to us about a concern or complaint. PALS and complaints will work with you to try to resolve a difficulty or problem. We can discuss with you the best ways to resolve your concerns or problems and will agree with you what action to take for your individual circumstances. We can also signpost to other sources of help if needed. Your personal details remain confidential, unless you provide consent for us to share them. Information from PALS and complaints is also used anonymously to help improve services.
If you have received particularly good service from any health service provider or you have any comments or suggestions to make, please let us know. This information will help us to keep improving our services.
For enquiries, compliments concerns, complaints or general feedback you can contact us by the following means:
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by phone 0300 561 0250
A list of GP practices for BaNES, Swindon and Wiltshire can be found here.
How to make a formal complaint about health services
Many complaints can be resolved quickly by discussing them directly with the manager concerned or the provider of the service. However, if you do want to make a formal complaint, let us know as soon as possible, as there is a time limit of 12 months from the date of the matter which is the subject of the complaint, although this can be waived depending on the circumstances.
Compliments, Concerns and Complaints Policy
Details about our complaints process and a copy of our policy can be found at the following link:
View the BSW CCG Compliments, Concerns and Complaints policy
Who can complain?
Anyone who is receiving, or has received, NHS treatment or services and anyone affected by the outcome of actions. If a person is unable to complain themselves then , then someone can act on your behalf with consent and appropriate supporting documentation. Young persons (under age 18) are entitled to complain independently. The NHS cannot consider a complaint made on behalf of a young person unless they are sure that the young person is unable to complain themselves.
What information will be needed to make my complaint?
- Your name, address and contact telephone number and those of the person that you may be complaining for; including their date of birth and their NHS number
- A summary of what has happened, giving dates where possible
- Which organisation provided the care or service
- A list of things that you are complaining about
- What you would like to happen as a result of your complaint
What can I expect?
We will contact you and agree the best way forward for investigating your complaint, taking into account your desired outcome. Following receipt of appropriate consent the issues will be fully investigated and you should then receive your response within the agreed timescales. Please do not worry about the service you receive in future being adversely affected because you have made a complaint. We take all comments seriously and only use the information to review our services and make improvements, where needed.
Complaints about primary care (GP, dental services, pharmacies, opticians)
Complaints or concerns about primary care services eg your GP, dentist, pharmacy or optician, are handled either by the Practice Manager or by NHS England who can be contacted by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by telephone on 0300 311 2233.
Parliamentary & Health Service Ombudsman
We will do our best to resolve your complaint however if you are not satisfied with the way your complaint has been handled, and would like to take it further, you can contact the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman which makes final decisions on unresolved complaints about the NHS in England. The Ombudsman is independent of Government and the NHS, and their service is confidential and free of charge. Contact details are as follows:
Tel: 0345 015 4033
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Address: The Parliamentary and Health Ombudsman, Millbank Tower, Millbank
London SW1P 4QP
Independent Health Complaints Advocacy (IHCA)
You can get free help and support from an Advocacy Service when pursuing your complaint Advocacy services are independent charities which represent the interests of patients. They offer a free, independent and confidential advice and support service for people making a complaint relating to either health or social care. Contact details are as follows:
For patients registered with a GP in Swindon
VoiceAbility
Address: Unit 1, The Old Granary, Westwick, Oakington, Cambridge CB24 3AR
Tel: 0300 303 1660
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
For patients in Wiltshire
Address: The Advocacy People at PO Box 375, Hastings, East Sussex, TN34 9HU
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Telephone 0300 343 5733
For patients in Bath and North East Somerset
If you need help in pursuing your complaint, you may wish to contact POhWER People at PO Box 14043, Birmingham, telephone 0300 456 2370 (charged at your standard network rate) or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. This is an independent charity that represents the interests of patients. They offer a free, independent and confidential advice and support service for people making a complaint relating to either health or social care.
