Below are newly issued (Information below provided by NHS England, 1 July 2023) guidelines on how to make a complaint to the NHS about primary care services (GP, pharmacy, dentist, optician)
You have the right to complain about any aspect of NHS care, treatment or service, which is written into the NHS Constitution on GOV.UK.
From 1 July 2023, the way members of the public make a complaint about primary care services to the commissioner has changed.
Rather than contacting NHS England, you must contact your local integrated care board (ICB). The most up-to-date contact details for ICB complaints contacts in West Yorkshire can be found here
There are two ways you can make a complaint:
- You can complain to the healthcare provider: this is the organisation where you received the NHS service, for example, a GP surgery or dental surgery
- You can complain to the service commissioner: this is the organisation that paid for the service or care you received.
By primary care services we mean GPs, dentists, opticians or pharmacy services
Please note:
If you want to make a complaint directly to the primary care service provider, you still can – that does not change on the 1 July 2023. Members of the public with ongoing complaints received on/after 1 July 2022 will receive a letter from NHS England informing them that the ICB is now handling their complaint with confirmation of their case handler. Members of the public with any ongoing complaints received before 1 July 2022 will receive a letter from NHS England informing them that NHS England is retaining their complaint with confirmation of their case handler.
Additional info:
- If you need support to make a complaint, you can request this from your local Independent NHS Complaints Advocacy Service
- For further information on making a complaint from the NHS please click here
