Complaints FAQs

Free independent advocacy support is available to people who chose to pursue a formal complaint against the NHS:

• VITAL (formerly known as Bradford & Airedale Mental Health Advocacy Group, BAMHAG): Tradeforce Building, First Floor, Cornwall Place, Bradford, BD8 7JT. Visit www.vitalprojects.org.uk or call 01274 770 118.
• Bradford Independent Complaints Advocacy Team (ICAT): offers free, independent advocacy support to people who chose to pursue a formal complaint against the NHS.  They can be contacted on 01274 770118.
• North Yorkshire Independent Health Complaints Advocacy Service (Cloverfield Advocacy) has moved offices: 1 Devonshire Court, Green Lane Trading Estate, Clifton, York, YO30 5PQ.Tel: 0300 012 4212. Email: NHSComplaints@cloverleaf-advocacy.co.uk. Visit: www.cloverleaf-advocacy.co.uk

You can talk to a member of staff involved in your care or a senior manager.

You can telephone the Patient Advice and Complaints Department on 01274 251440.

You can write the Chief Executive or the Patient Advice and Complaints Manager at the following address:

Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust
New Mill
Victoria Road
Saltaire
BD18 3LD

You can complete our online contact form.

If you would prefer to speak to someone in a language other than English, we have access to a variety of languages via local interpreting services, including sign language.

• Yes, the Trust are legally required to obtain consent (both written and verbal) from an individual for someone to raise a complaint on their behalf. Without consent, the Trust will be very limited in what they can respond with, if at all.
• If you are a parent raising a complaint on behalf of a young person over the age of 13, consent will be required as the young person is deemed to have capacity to make decisions regarding their care and treatment.
• If the individual does not have capacity to consent, next of kin or Power of Attorney for Health status will be considered to support in responding to the complaint.

You must make your complaint:

• Within 12 months of the of the event you want to complain about; or
• Within 12 months of you realising you have reason to complain.

The Trust will only consider investigating a complaint outside this timescale if there is good reason why the complaint was not made within the timescale.

We treat each complaint individually.

• Anyone receiving services or a carer or relative of someone receiving services from us can make a complaint.
• If you are unable to complain yourself then someone else, usually a friend or relative, can make a complaint for you but we will ask you for your consent.

Things you can contact us about could include:

• Care or treatment that you have had or are having.
• Anything to do with the place where you receive care.
• Any member of our staff involved in your care.
• How our services in your local area are organised, if this has affected your care or treatment.
• If you have not received a service from us and you expected to.

• You will be contacted within three working days of receiving your complaint to let you know we have received it.
• Your complaint will be shared with the responsible manager for investigation and response with the support of PACS.
• You will be offered the opportunity to discuss your complaint and desired outcomes with your allocated case handler.
• A timescale for when you can expect a response will be agreed with you.
• You will be informed of any learning identified as a result of your complaint.
• Where learning has been identified we will identify actions to ensure improvements to practice.

*Dental complaints are reviewed on an individual basis and nominated for investigation based on the clinical input required.

If your complaint involves another part of the NHS, or another organisation, we will work with them to provide you with a coordinated response.

The NHS complaints procedure is a conciliatory process and we aim to resolve all complaints locally, however, if you remain dissatisfied with our response you have the right to request an independent review of your complaint from the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.

Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
Millbank Tower,
Millbank,
London,
SW1P 4QP

Tel: 0345 015 4033
Email: phso.enquiries@ombudsman.org.uk

For more information please visit www.ombudsman.org.uk/make-a-complaint