We want to hear about your experience of our services.
You can contact us to share a compliment, make a suggestion, raise a concern or make a formal complaint. What you tell us helps us recognise good care, put things right when something has gone wrong and improve our services.
Raising a concern or making a complaint will not affect your care or treatment.
Share a compliment, comment or suggestion
We want to hear when you have had a good experience.
If a member of staff or team has made a difference to your care, please let us know so we can share your feedback with them.
We also welcome comments and suggestions about how we could improve our services.
You can contact PALS to share a compliment, comment or suggestion.
Contact PALS
I have a concern or need help
If something does not seem right or you are unhappy with any part of your care, please tell us.
If you are currently receiving care and need help, speak to a member of staff or ask to speak to the nurse, midwife or person in charge. They may be able to resolve the issue straight away.
You can also contact our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS).
PALS can:
- listen to your concerns
- give you information and advice
- contact the service involved
- help resolve problems where possible
- explain your options and what you can do next
You do not need to make a formal complaint to ask PALS for help.
Not sure who you need to speak to? Contact PALS and they can help.
I want to make a formal complaint
You can make a formal complaint if you want us to investigate what happened and provide you with a formal response.
You can complain about your own care or on behalf of someone else. We may need their consent before we can share information with you.
Contact the complaints team
You can use the contact details below or you can also write to:
Complaints Manager
Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust
Queen Elizabeth Hospital
Sheriff Hill
Gateshead
NE9 6SX
When should I make a complaint?
Please tell us as soon as you can.
You should normally make a complaint within 12 months of:
- what happened, or
- when you first became aware of the issue.
We may still be able to look into your complaint after this time if there is a good reason for the delay and it is still possible to investigate what happened.
What should I include?
It helps if you tell us:
- what happened
- when and where it happened
- who was involved, if you know
- what you would like us to do.
What happens when I make a complaint?
We will acknowledge your complaint and explain what will happen next.
We will look into what happened and provide you with a response.
If something went wrong, we will explain what happened and, where appropriate, apologise and tell you what we are doing to put things right or improve our services.
If we need more time, we will keep you updated.
Your complaint will not affect your current or future care.
Can someone help me make a complaint?
Yes. You can get free, independent help and support from an NHS complaints advocacy service.
Gateshead residents
Your Voice Counts
Telephone: 0191 478 6472
Sunderland residents
VoiceAbility
Telephone: 0300 303 1660
Other local areas
North East NHS Independent Complaints Advocacy
Telephone: 0808 802 3000
If you are unhappy with our response
Please contact our complaints team if you think we have missed something, misunderstood your concerns or you need more information.
We will look at whether there is anything more we can do to resolve your concerns.
If you remain unhappy after our complaints process has finished, you can ask the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman to look at your complaint.
[Visit the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman website]
Visit the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman websiteOther support
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