Is it an emergency?Our PALS team are here to answer queries, pass on feedback or handle any complaints that you may have.
Although we may not always be able to answer your query directly, we will usually know which team or organisation is best to ask.
You can access our Complaints, Patient Advice and Liaison Service and Compliments Policy via our policies page.
Contact our Patient Advice and Liaison Service
The contact details below will connect you with our PALS team who can help you with any questions you may have or receive feedback.
Freephone: 0800 389 6819
(between 9:00am – 3:30pm Monday – Friday, excluding bank holidays)
Email: sneeicb.pals@nhs.net for feedback and queries
Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
Endeavour House
Russell Road
Ipswich
IP1 2BX
Complaints
If you would like to make a complaint about a poor healthcare experience in Suffolk or north east Essex, we would recommend contacting the organisation that provided the care directly. If you’re unsure which organisation was involved, please get in touch and we’ll do our best to help identify the healthcare provider in question.
What happens if I prefer to complain directly to the commissioning organisation?
You are also welcome to lodge a complaint about a provider via our team if you’d prefer. If your complaint is about primary care services such as GPs, dentists, opticians or pharmacy services, you should contact us, NHS Suffolk and North East Essex ICB, directly via the details below. You can also make a formal complaint regarding the work of the ICB.
If you want to register a formal complaint, please do so as soon as you can and try to provide as much relevant information as you can. We will be able to provide you with details of the advocacy service if you feel you need support in making your complaint.
From 1 July 2023 the way members of the public make a complaint about primary care services to the commissioner is changing.
Rather than contacting NHS England, complaints will be made to directly to the local integrated care board (ICB).
Members of the public will still be able to make a complaint to the provider. This is NOT changing.
Members of the public with ongoing complaints received on/after 1 July 2022 will receive a letter from NHS England informing them that the ICB is now handling their complaint with confirmation of their case handler.
Members of the public with any ongoing complaints received before 1 July 2022 will receive a letter from NHS England informing them that their complaint is being retained by NHS England with confirmation of their case handler.
Find out more about how to feedback or make a complaint about an NHS service
How to make a complaint
To make a complaint, please contact our PALs team via the details below.
Freephone: 0800 389 6819
(between 9:00am – 3:30pm Monday – Friday, excluding bank holidays)
Email: sneeicb.complaints@nhs.net to lodge a complaint.
Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
Endeavour House
Russell Road
Ipswich
IP1 2BX
- We will acknowledge your complaint within three working days.
- We will require written consent if we need access to your health records or work with a third party when investigating your complaint.
- We will agree the points of the investigation with you
- You will receive a full written outcome of the investigation and actions taken.
You can ask a friend or relative to raise a concern or complaint on your behalf. If you do, we will ask you to sign a consent form, giving us permission to disclose your personal information to this person.
Will anything change?
We will always try to ensure that actions, as a result of complaints, feedback or comments do make real changes to health services in the future.
Anonymous stories are used in reporting and monitoring to ensure the experiences of patients and service users are kept at the heart of service development.
Your Ombudsman
We always aim to amicably resolve all complaints we receive and we work collaboratively with the complainant to achieve this aim.
However, if we are unable to resolve matters then you can contact the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) using the details below:
Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman,
Millbank Tower,
Millbank,
London,
SW1P 4QP
Tel: 0345 015 4033
Email the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman at phso.enquiries@ombudsman.org.uk
What our PALS team have been working on
Our PALS team produce regular reports which outline what they have been working on, including trends in enquiries and complaints and what action has been taken as a result of patient and public feedback.