What to expect: Support if you have concerns about your care

This information explains how care should happen. But we know things don’t always go to plan.

Be aware that sometimes you may have to push for things to be done. For example, don’t be afraid to ask a lot of questions, chase appointments, or ask for care and support to be put in place.

Support from an advocate

If you need independent support to deal with any problems with your care, there are organisations that can help you. This service is called advocacy. An advocate is someone who helps you have your say and know your rights. They can help you tell healthcare professionals about what you want. They can also help you raise concerns about your care if you need to.

• In England, charities such as VoiceAbility offer advocacy services for NHS complaints.
• In Scotland, you can use the Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance to find advocacy services in your area.
• In Northern Ireland, the Patient and Client Council can help.
• In Wales and England, local councils may provide advocacy. Find out more on the NHS website.

What if I have concerns about NHS care?

If you have concerns about NHS care, talk to your doctor or nurse first. It’s important to raise any concerns you have. Don’t be worried that this will affect your future treatment and care.

If talking to the doctor or nurse doesn’t help, you may want to take the issue further. You need to do this within 12 months of the when the issue happened. There are services you can use to help you do this.

• In England, you can speak to the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS).
• In Scotland, the Patient Advice and Support Service (PASS) can help.
• In Wales, Llais can support you in raising your concerns.
• In Northern Ireland, the Patient and Client Council can help you with your complaint.

If you are not happy with the response to your complaint, you can contact the Ombudsman. This is an organisation that handles health complaints. You must have the final response from the organisation you are complaining about, before contacting the Ombudsman. The Ombudsmen are:

• In England, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.
• In Scotland, the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman.
• In Wales, the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales.
• In Northern Ireland, the Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman.

For more minor feedback about your care, you could speak directly to your health or social care team. You could also share your experience on the Care Opinion website. You can say what happened, what was good, or what could have been better. The feedback people give is used to improve services across the UK.

Concerns about private healthcare?

If you use private healthcare, you should first talk to your doctor or nurse about your concerns. If the situation isn’t sorted out, you can speak to the organisation that regulates the service. For example, you can report certain complaints to:

• the Care Quality Commission in England
• Healthcare Improvement Scotland or the General Medical Council in Scotland
• the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales or the Healthcare Inspectorate in Wales
• the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority in Northern Ireland.

Citizens Advice have more information about complaining about private healthcare.

Updated August 2024

Review date August 2026