Telling us about your experience as a patient

Contacting local NHS services with concerns and complaints

If you want to raise a concern about the health care provided to you or someone you know or look after, we encourage you to first speak to a doctor, nurse or manager involved in that care.   

If you are not satisfied, or if you don’t feel comfortable raising your concern directly with the service, you can contact the organisation’s Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS), also sometimes called Patient Experience team.

They can help you resolve your concerns quickly and without having to make a formal complaint They will also advise you on how to make a complaint if you wish to. 

If you’re unsure which organisation provided your care, or if you want us to look into a concern or complaint on your behalf, please get in touch with the ICB’s Patient Experience Team. We will do what we can to help you. 

You can contact our Patient Experience Team in the following ways. 

If you want to register a formal complaint with the provider of the service, or with the ICB please do so as soon as possible and try to provide as much relevant information as you can.   

 

Contact details for different services are provided below:

GPs, dentists, pharmacists, or opticians

If you have a comment, complaint, or compliment about a doctor (GP), dentist, pharmacy, or optician, please contact the practice directly in the first instance.  

If you are unable to resolve your complaint with the practice, please contact NHS England as follows  

Hospital services 

If you have a concern, complaint or compliment about a hospital please contact the hospital’s Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) team. 

  • East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust (covering Lister, New QEII and Hertford County Hospitals) can be contacted on 01438 285811 or by email pals.enh-tr@nhs.net  
  • West Herts Hospital Trust (covering Watford General Hospital, St Albans City Hospital and Hemel Hempstead Hospital) on 01923 217198 and by email westherts.pals@nhs.net   
  • Princess Alexandra Hospital Trust (Harlow) 01279 827211 or email paht.pals@nhs.net  

Community healthcare for adults 

If you have a concern, complaint, or compliment about a community service such as community nursing, health visiting, physiotherapy, or podiatry service, please contact the local service for your area: 

  • If you live in east and north Hertfordshire contact Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust. Email hct.patientexperienceteam@nhs.net or call 01707 685356.  
  • If you live in the south and west Hertfordshire, contact Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust. Email clchpals@nhs.net or call 0800 368 0412.  
  • If you live in west Essex email Essex Partnership University Trust on epunft.pals@nhs.net or call 0800 085 7935.

Community healthcare for children 

If you have a concern, complaint or compliment about a community service for children please contact the local service for your area: 

Mental health, learning disability and autism services 

If you have a concern, complaint, or compliment about mental health, learning disability and autism services for both children and adults please contact the local service for your area: 

  • If you live in Hertfordshire contact Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust. Email hpft.pals@nhs.net or call 01707 253916 
  • If you’re an adult living in west Essex email Essex Partnership University Trust on epunft.pals@nhs.net or call 0800 085 7935
  • If your query relates to mental health services for a child or young person living in west Essex email North East London NHS Foundation Trust (SET CAMHS) on nelftpals@nelft.nhs.uk or call 0300 300 1711
  • If your query relates to learning disability and autism services for a child or young person living in west Essex email HCRG Care Group. Online form: https://www.hcrgcaregroup.com/feedback/concerns-compliments-or-complaints/complaint-form/  or call 0300 303 9509

Ambulance service 

If you have a concern, complaint or compliment about the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust please email feedback@eastamb.nhs.uk or call 0800 028 3382 (freephone) or 01234 243320