Complaints

Concerns and complaints

Although we always like to hear about the things we have done well, we would also like to hear about the things we could do better.

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (OUH) is committed to providing the very highest standards of care.

We will always try our best to get things right, but sometimes mistakes happen. When they do, it is vitally important to put things right as soon as possible, and to ensure that the same mistakes do not happen again.

Raising concerns

If you have a concern about your care or treatment, or about any of our services, please talk to the member of staff who is with you at the time; they will be as helpful as possible and may be able to resolve your concerns straight away. If it is not possible to resolve your concerns immediately, we will respond by letter. Alternatively, we may be able to offer a face-to-face meeting.

Contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service for immediate help, advice and support.

Making a formal complaint

Please put your complaint in writing to:

Chief Executive Officer
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Headley Way
Headington
Oxford OX3 9DU

Email: complaints@ouh.nhs.uk

What happens next

• We take all complaints very seriously and will conduct a thorough investigation. We will then respond to you as quickly as possible. We may contact you when we receive your complaint to discuss it further.
• We will formally acknowledge your complaint within three working days.
• We will do our best to give you a full reply as quickly as possible, usually within 25 working days.
• In our reply, we will try to tell you what action we are taking to make sure the problem you raised does not happen again.
• As an organisation, we are committed to learning from all the complaints we receive.
• The fact that you have complained will not adversely affect your treatment and your complaint is not kept in your medical notes.

Help making a formal complaint

How to make a formal complaint (Easy Read leaflet) (pdf, 288 KB)

Voiceability

Are you unhappy with the care and treatment that you, or someone else, is currently receiving or has received from the NHS?

Voiceability can help you to raise your concerns.

Tel: 0300 303 1660

Email: helpline@voiceability.org

Ombudsman

Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman