Informal complaints
Informal Complaints are like PALS concerns in that they include local resolution and have a deadline of 10 working days. Informal complaints are intended to solve issues locally and at the earliest stage possible. Responses to informal complaints can be written or verbal.
Formal complaints
Formal Complaints are issues raised formally by a complainant and require written consent if they are on behalf of a patient. They follow a timeline of 25 working days. A complaint should be formally acknowledged and the complainant should receive a written response from the Chief Executive at the end of this deadline. Complainants also have access to external Parliamentary Health Ombudsman services (PHSO), who can support in the event that you are unhappy with the Trusts complaints service.
The Complaints Process
