It is enshrined in the NHS Constitution that people have a right to make a complaint should they have a grievance about their treatment by the NHS, or their doctor. And the right to start a NHS Complaint, or organise complaints about a GP, are sacrosanct to the British health service.

It is what marks the National Health Service out from others around the world. Patients have the fundamental right to complain and take their complaints to a higher authority.

This does not mean to say that hospitals are forever making mistakes, or that their staff are deliberately setting out to make things difficult for a patient. But mistakes do happen, and shortcuts are made. The problem is that for most people, it involves their health and therefore it is of fundamental importance.

Repair a washing machine incorrectly and it will be an inconvenience; get a diagnosis wrong and it literally means the difference between life and death for some people.

The main problem for many people is deciding when they should make a claim. Instinctively, we all know when we have been aggrieved by someone, so it’s unlikely you will make a spurious claim without some thought.

But there are common themes amongst most people’s complaints. And this includes doctors, or support staff, being rude and discourteous. You might believe you have received poor service from a hospital, or your GP. Equally, you might have had the misfortune to have been the victim of growing waiting lists, or being removed from a doctor’s patient list.
And don’t forget that you might think a person is actually not qualified to give advice, or perform a particular treatment. They might be a danger to you, or others.
Whatever their reasons, act now and let us advise you on how to proceed.