We are committed to providing the best possible care to our service users. While every effort is made to ensure we provide excellent care, sometimes things do go wrong, and we need you to tell us when they do.
By sharing feedback we can ensure that lessons are learned and that we can continually improve and develop our services.
If you do make a complaint we promise to deal with your concerns fairly, effectively and promptly, and we will not treat you any different as a result of making a complaint.
Who can make a complaint?
Under the NHS Complaints Procedure a complaint can be made by a current or former service user, or someone who is affected by, or likely to be affected by, the actions of the Trust.
A complaint can also be made by someone acting on behalf of the service user or person, with their consent. If consent is not received, the complaint will still be investigated and a written response given. However, the response will not contain an individual’s personal health information.
How to make a complaint
If you would like to make a complaint you can contact us whichever way suits you best:
By writing to us: Complaints Team, Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust, Centre Court, Atlas Way Sheffield, S4 7QQ
By emailing us: complaints@shsc.nhs.uk
By calling us: 0114 2718956
A complaint must be made in writing or verbally within twelve months of an event or within twelve months of realising the effect of the event.
Complaints made more than twelve months after an incident do not have to be investigated, however, there is discretion to extend this time limit where it would be unreasonable in the circumstances for the complaint to have been made earlier, and where it is still possible to investigate the facts of the case.
What next?
On receipt of your complaint, we will write to you to tell you that your concerns will be investigated and we will tell you who the senior staff member is that will look into your complaint. We will also give you a planned timescale for responding to your complaint. If we are unable to provide a response within the timescale given, we will contact you and agree a new date to respond.
When we have finished investigating your complaint, you will receive a response from the staff member assigned to look into it, together with a letter from the Chief Executive.
What if I am unhappy with the complaint response?
If you are dissatisfied with the response you receive please contact us and tell us why so we can try to resolve any remaining areas of concern.
We may arrange for you to meet with senior staff in an attempt to resolve your complaint.
If you remain unhappy, you can refer your complaint to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman using the details listed below.