We work hard with our providers to deliver consistent, high quality healthcare services, but we do appreciate that things do not always go to plan.
When things go wrong, and when things go well, we want to hear about it. Your experiences are valuable to us as they help identify any trends and ultimately improve local services.
The NHS can sometimes be complicated to understand and if you need support, our Enquiries and Experince team is here to help. We can guide you through the NHS complaints procedure, advise you where to send your complaint and give you details of organisations that can support you with your complaint.
We have included some guidance below on making a complaint but, if you’d like more information, please contact us.
Making a complaint
If your complaint is about NHS treatment and care outside of primary care, you are advised to complain directly to the healthcare provider. Our local hospitals, mental health trusts, community trusts and other providers have in-house complaints teams that can help you.
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust – Bedford Hospital
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust – Luton and Dunstable University Hospital
Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust
Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust
East London NHS Foundation Trust
East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust
South Central Ambulance Service NHS Trust
Primary care
If you are unhappy with a primary care service such as your GP practice, optician or pharmacist, please contact the practice manager. Or, if you prefer, you can contact NHS England, who manage complaints for primary care services.
NHS England
PO Box 16738
Redditch B97 9PT
Tel: 0300 311 22 33 (Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm, excluding bank holidays)
Email: england.contactus@nhs.net
From the 1 July 2023
From 1 July 2023 the way members of the public make a complaint about primary care services to the commissioner is changing. Rather than contacting NHS England, complaints will be made to directly to the local integrated care board (ICB).
If your complaint is about primary care services such as GPs, dentists, opticians or pharmacy services, after the 1 July 2023, you should contact BLMK ICB.
Telephone: 0800 148 8890
E-mail: blmkicb.contactus@nhs.net
Write to: Office of CEO & Chair, Ground West, Priory House, Monks Walk, Chicksands, Shefford SG17 5TQ
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- Members of the public will still be able to make a complaint to the provider. This is NOT changing.
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- Members of the public with ongoing complaints received on/after 1 July 2023 will receive a letter from NHS England informing them that the ICB is now handling their complaint with confirmation of their case handler.
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- Members of the public with any ongoing complaints received before 1 July 2023 will receive a letter from NHS England informing them that their complaint is being retained by NHS England with confirmation of their case handler.
Integrated Care Board complaints
If you are registered with a Bedfordshire, Luton or Milton Keynes GP practice, you can complain to the Integrated Care Board about:
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- commissioning decisions, for example if we have stopped or replaced a service in your area
- the process for Individual Funding Requests (IFR)
- the process for Continuing Healthcare.
For more information and confidential advice on how to complain, visit the Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board website: Complaints and Concerns
How to complain if you are a young person
If you are a young person and something goes wrong with your treatment, or if you are unhappy with the treatment or service you are getting, you have the right to make a complaint.
If you do not want to make the complaint yourself, you can give permission for someone else to make a complain on your behalf, such as a parent, guardian or friend.
There is no need to worry if you do not want your parents to know about your complaint. All complaints. All complaints are kept strictly confidential, except in very exceptional cases where we believe you may be at risk from harm. We can also help by making independent, confidential support available to you if you need it.
Contact details
NHS Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board
Enquiries and Experience Team: Email: blmkicb.contactus@nhs.net Tel: 0800 148 8890
Office of CEO & Chair, Ground West, Priory House, Monks Walk, Chicksands, Shefford SG17 5TQ
Freedom of Information (FOI) requests: blmkicb.contactus@nhs.net
NHS Complaints Advocacy
If you need any advice, help or support to make a complaint you can contact your local NHS Complaints Advocacy Service. You can find details of your local service below:
Bedford Borough and Central Bedfordshire
If you feel you need support in making your complaint, this is available through VoiceAbility – an independent charity that is not part of the NHS. They provide free, independent and confidential support for people who wish to make a complaint about the care they have received from the NHS.
An Advocate can explain the complaints process, give guidance on writing an effective complaint letter and where appropriate you can have one to one advocacy support:
Telephone: 0300 303 1660 (freephone)
Email: helpline@voiceability.org
Website: https://voiceability.org
Luton:
If you feel you need support in making your complaint, this is available through POhWER – NHS Complaints Advocacy. They provide free, independent and confidential support for people who wish to make a complaint about the care they have received from the NHS.
An Advocate can explain the complaints process, give guidance on writing an effective complaint letter and where appropriate you can have one to one advocacy support:
Telephone: 0300 456 2370
Email: pohwer@pohwer.net
POhWER website: https://www.pohwer.net/central-and-east-of-england
Milton Keynes:
If you feel you need support in making your complaint, this is available through The Advocacy People. They provide free, independent and confidential support for people who wish to make a complaint about the care they have received from the NHS.
An Advocate can explain the complaints process, give guidance on writing an effective complaint letter and where appropriate you can have one to one advocacy support:
Website: www.theadvocacypeople.org.uk
Tel: 0330 440 9000
Text: PEOPLE to 80800
Email: info@theadvocacypeople.org.uk
Post: PO Box 375, Hastings TN34 9HU