Patient relations

Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust recognises the importance of your experience, whether you are a patient, family member or visitor. We aim to listen, respond in a timely way, and learn from what you share so we can continue improving our services.

Our team offers advice and support to anyone using our services. On this page, you’ll find information about how we can help, how to contact us, and how you can get involved in shaping improvements across the Trust.

We want you to feel safe raising any concerns. Raising a concern or making a complaint will never negatively affect the care or treatment you receive. If you ever feel this is not the case, please contact us so we can address it immediately.

Speak to Staff First if You Can

Many concerns can be resolved quickly by speaking with the ward or clinic team caring for you. They know your situation best and can often help straight away. If this doesn’t feel comfortable, or the issue remains unresolved, our Patient Relations team is here for you.

How Our Team Can Help

Offering confidential non-clinical advice to patients, families and carers
Providing NHS and health‑related information
Providing confidential support to resolve problems and concerns quickly
Responding to your queries and concerns, and offering advice when things have not gone as planned
Acting on your behalf when handling concerns, ensuring your voice is represented
Speaking with staff, managers, and external organisations when appropriate to explore solutions and inform changes to how services are delivered
Providing information on the NHS complaints procedure and how to get in touch with someone who can help
Helping you access independent complaints advocacy for additional support
Offering information on ways you can get involved in shaping improvements across the Trust and the local NHS
Listening to your suggestions for improvement and ensuring your feedback contributes to organisational learning
Directing you to additional services when needed

Complaint or Concern?

Concerns
A concern is when you tell us something hasn’t gone as expected and you would like it addressed quickly. Concerns are usually resolved informally and promptly, often by the team caring for you within 48 hours.
We will always try to resolve concerns through early resolution, which focuses on putting things right as soon as possible without a formal investigation.

Concerns are ideal when:

You want something looked at quickly
A conversation or clarification may resolve the issue
You do not want to enter the formal complaints process

Complaints
A complaint is a formal way of raising an issue about care, treatment or services, and follows the NHS Complaints Regulations and the NHS Complaint Standards. Complaints are acknowledged in writing, investigated, and aim to be responded to within 30 working days.

Complaints are appropriate when:

The issue is complex, serious, or needs a detailed investigation
Early resolution has not resolved the matter
You would like a formal written response

Which Should I Use?
We encourage patients, families and carers to raise a concern first wherever possible. This often leads to faster solutions and can prevent problems escalating unnecessarily. If the issue is complex or cannot be resolved quickly, we will support you to make a formal complaint.

How To Get in Touch

The team is on Route 102 at the top of the escalator. You are welcome to drop in if you would like to speak to someone when you are at hospital, or you can contact us to make an appointment in advance.

The team is available between 9am and 4pm, Monday to Friday (excluding Bank Holidays).

Telephone: 01922 656463
Email: pals.officer@nhs.net

Staff members can contact Patient Relations on your behalf, or you can fill out a Patient Relations comment card, just ask a member staff to provide one. Patient Relations attempt to resolve problems quickly, however if you feel the need to complain about any aspect of your NHS experience the service will be happy to advise and guide you through the complaint’s procedure.

How to Make a Complaint

The quickest and easiest way to raise a concern or make a complaint is via our secure online form. You can access it here:

If you are unable to complete the form, you can do this in writing to:

The Chief Executive
Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust
Moat Road
Walsall
WS2 9PS

Email: pals.officer@nhs.net

After your complaint has been received you will receive a written acknowledgement within three working days.

If you would like someone from an independent organisation to help you with your formal complaint and feel it would be helpful, you can contact the NHS Complaints Advocacy Service. This service is open to all Walsall residents and can provide advice and assistance with your complaint. They can be contacted on 0300 456 2370 or by email.

Upon receipt of your complaint, a complaint handler will be assigned to lead on the investigation. As part of this process, the complaint handler will contact you to introduce themselves, discuss your concerns in further detail and to agree a timeframe for our response.

If You Need Help and English Is Not Your First Language

When attending the hospital, you have the right to access an interpreter, to ensure your communication requirements are met. If you require an interpreter during your appointment or inpatient stay, please speak with the department overseeing your care and they will ensure an interpreter is provided. If you require additional support with Language Services, please contact the Patient Relations Team on 01922 656463.

Contacting The Ombudsman

If you have contacted the Patient Relations team or made a formal complaint to the Trust, and we have been unable to resolve your issue to satisfaction, then you can ask the Health or Local Government Ombudsmen to review the matter.

If the issue is about an NHS service then you can contact the Health Service Ombudsman by visiting the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman website or calling the helpline on 0345 015 4033 or in writing to The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, Millbank Tower, Millbank, London SW1P 4QP.

If the issue is about an adult social care service the person complaining can contact the Local Government Ombudsman by visiting the Parliatmentary and Social Care Ombudsman website or calling the helpline on 0845 602 1983 or in writing to The Local Government Ombudsman, PO Box 4771, Coventry CV4 0EH.

Compliments

If you have received excellent care or have had a positive experience at the Trust, please let us know. Compliments are always passed on to the staff involved in your care.

Patient choice

All patients in Walsall have a choice of where and when to go to see a specialist, which is called Patient Choice. This is part of the NHS Constitution which states that you, as a patient, have a legal right to choose which hospital or service you would like to go to (exclusions apply).

Visit the Walsall CCG or NHS England websites for more information.