How to make a complaint

Listening, responding and improving 

NHS Derby and Derbyshire Integrated Care Board organises, pays for and monitors local healthcare services for Derbyshire patients.

We are committed to providing members of the public, our patients and their carers with opportunities to give us feedback about any services we commission and how we commission them.

Feedback is essential to service improvement and our strategies have set out our proactive approach to asking for people’s views and using the information received to improve the quality of services that we commission.

Alongside feedback from members of the public, our patients and their carers, we also have a formal system for anyone who wishes to make a formal complaint. Our approach to complaints is structured around the following three principles:

Listening: Taking a more active approach to asking for people’s views and working in partnership.

Responding: Dealing with complaints more effectively by finding out what the complainant wants to happen.

Improving: Using the information received to learn and improve services by agreeing a clear plan of action.

What is a complaint?

A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction or concern about a ICB staff member, about a service which is commissioned by NHS Derby and Derbyshire ICB or about an action, omission or decision of the ICB that requires a response.  Complaints may be received in written form via letter or email.

A complaint or concern which is made orally or by email and resolved to your satisfaction by the end of the next working day following receipt of the complaint is outside of the scope of the formal complaints process.

Who can make a complaint?

A complaint can be made by any person who has received or is receiving NHS treatment or services or any person who has been affected by an action, omission or decision of the ICB.

A complaint can also be made by a representative (with appropriate consent) acting on another person’s behalf, if that person:

• Has requested the representative to act on their behalf;
• Is a child;
• Is unable to make the complaint themselves because of physical incapacity or lack of capacity within the meaning of the Mental Capacity Act 2005;
• Has died.

Timeframe for making a complaint

Formal complaints must be made within 12 months from the date on which a matter occurred or the matter came to the notice of the complainant, unless there are exceptional circumstances.

What kind of complaints can the ICB investigate?

NHS Derby and Derbyshire ICB is specifically responsible for investigating complaints about actions, omissions or decisions of the ICB or of our staff.

If you have a complaint relating to the way an NHS service has been commissioned, or you have been directly affected by a commissioning decision made by us, please contact us directly. All formal complaints to NHS Derby and Derbyshire ICB should be directed to the Chief Executive Officer at NHS Derby and Derbyshire ICB’s Headquarters.

Chief Executive Officer
NHS Derby and Derbyshire Integrated Care Board
The Council House
First Floor
Corporation Street
Derby
DE1 2FS

Alternatively you can download and complete our complaints form.

You can email your complaint to: ddicb.complaints@nhs.net  

Complaints about a health provider

Please refer to the list below:

If you have a complaint about care provided at the Royal Derby Hospital or London Road Community Hospital (including A&E, inpatient and outpatient care), please contact:

Complaints Team
University Hospitals Derby and Burton Foundation Trust
Royal Derby Hospital
Derby DE22 3NE
Tel: 01332 787 259
Email: uhdb.complaintsteam@nhs.net   

If you have a complaint about care provided at Chesterfield Royal Hospital (including A&E, inpatient and outpatient care), please contact:

Patient Experience Team
Chesterfield Royal Hospital Foundation Trust
Callow
Chesterfield S44 5BL
Tel: 01246 512 640
Email: crhft.acs@nhs.net

If you have a complaint about care provided by your local Community Care Trust, please contact:

Patient Experience Team
Derbyshire Community Healthcare Services Trust
Alfreton Primary Care Centre
Church Street
Alfreton DE55 7AH
Tel: 01773 525 119
Email: dchst.patientexperienceteam@nhs.net   

If you have a complaint about care provided by your local Mental Health Trust, please contact:

Patient Experience Team
Derbyshire Healthcare Foundation Trust
Trust Head Quarters
Kingsway
Derby DE21 
Tel: 0800 0272 128
Email: dhcft.patientexperience@nhs.net   

If you have a complaint about care or services provided by East Midlands Ambulance Trust, please contact:

Patient Experience Team
East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust
Trust Headquarters
1 Horizon Place
Mellors Way
Nottingham Business Park
Nottingham NG8 6PY
Tel: 0333 012 4216 (local rate)
Email: pals.office@emas.nhs.uk

If you have a complaint about the 111 or Out of Hours GP Service, please contact:

DHU Healthcare CIC
2 Roundhouse Road
Pride Park
Derby
DE24 8JE
Tel: 0300 1000407
Email: dhuurgentcare.clinicalgovernance@nhs.net

Primary Care Complaints

If you have a complaint about care or NHS services provided by your general practice (GP), dentist, pharmacist or optician, you can raise these directly with the provider, usually via the Practice Manager.

Alternatively, contact the ICB Complaints Team, who will advise if your complaint can be handled by the ICB’s Primary Care Complaints Team.

Specialised Commissioning

If you have a complaint about a service commissioned by NHS England, please contact:

NHS England
PO Box 16738
Redditch
B97 9PT
Tel: 0300 311 22 33
Email: england.contactus@nhs.net (Please state: ‘For the attention of the complaints team’ in the subject line)

Unsure of who to complain to?

We recognise that the NHS is incredibly complex, and it is not always easy to see where best to send complaints, and so if you are unsure then do please ask us and we’ll help you to direct your complaint to the right place.

The ICB’s PALS Team can be contacted on 0800 032 32 35 or via email ddicb.pals@nhs.net

If you require support because English is not your first language, please contact us and we will signpost you to the relevant interpretation service.

Need support with making your complaint?

If you need support to make a complaint, independent advocacy is provided locally for Derby city residents by:

One Advocacy Derby
Tel: 01332 228 748
Email: referrals@oneadvocacyderby.org

For Derbyshire residents by:

Cloverleaf Advocacy
Tel: 01924 454875
Email: NHScomplaints@cloverleaf-advocacy.co.uk

Website: Independent Health Complaints Advocacy

You can also leave feedback and share your experience of health and social services in Derby and Derbyshire by contacting your local Healthwatch. 

Healthwatch Derby 
Tel: 01332 643 988

Healthwatch Derbyshire 
Tel: 01773 880 786