We want to make it easy for you to tell us about any problems you have so we can do our best to resolve them, learn from any mistakes and improve the way we do things in the future.
Patient advice, support and complaints
Our complaints procedure is flexible depending on what you are looking for when you complain and how we can best resolve the issues raised.
How to make a complaint
Speak to someone
A lot of problems can be sorted out straight away just by talking to the person looking after you, such as a doctor, nurse or therapist.
If you are not happy doing this, or you have tried and are not satisfied with the response, then ask to speak to the person in charge of the ward, department or service.
You can also talk to our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS), who can help raise your concern with the right people.
There is no need to worry that telling staff you are unhappy will affect your care – they would rather know that you have a problem so they can put things right.
Please note if you are making the complaint on behalf of someone else the Trust will need their permission to correspond/liaise with you. This is to ensure we meet our legal obligation to protect patient confidentiality. Please find a link to our Consent Form here (or at the bottom of this page) for completion and signature. Alternatively, if the patient does not have capacity we will need a copy of the Lasting Power of Attorney for Health and Welfare. If the patient is now deceased we will need confirmation you are their next of kin or permission with proof from the executor of the estate.
Telephone us
To talk about the options available to you, please call us on either of the following numbers:
- St Richard’s Hospital: 01243 831822
- Worthing and Southlands Hospitals: 01903 285032
Write in
If you want to make a formal complaint in writing, please complete the form here (or at the bottom of this page) and email wshnt.ComplaintsTeam@nhs.net in the first instance, or write to:
The Chief Executive
Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Lyndhurst Road
Worthing
West Sussex
BN11 2DH
Help in making a complaint
Anyone making a complaint about NHS treatment or care is entitled to the support of an advocate.
The complaints process
Complaints are received in the Chief Executive’s Office and forwarded to Customer Relations Department to be managed in accordance with the NHS Complaints Procedure and the Trust’s own local policy and procedures.
The Trust policy expects investigating staff to identify and speak to any members of staff directly involved in the subject of the complaint and provide their responses as well as comments from relevant managers and/or consultants.
All complaints are discussed at regular meetings with the relevant service divisions. The Trust’s Patient Experience and Feedback Committee, chaired by its non-executive directors, monitors the investigation process and its outcomes, and follows up any lessons we can learn about the issues raised in the complaint.