Suggestions / Compliments / Complaints
We welcome your comments on the quality of treatment and care you feel you have received at the Countess of Chester. All comments and suggestions are extremely helpful and we find them very useful when considering any changes to our services. You are able to submit your comments via:
If you have concerns about your care or the services we provide, it is best if you can talk to the nurse looking after you, the doctor involved in your care at the time, or the ward manager. The Matron is also available should you wish to speak to them. Very often, worries and problems can be sorted out straight away and our staff will do their best to resolve your concerns at an early stage.
Alternatively, you may wish to contact PALS - our Patient Advice and Liaison Service. You can phone the PALS team on 01244 366066, email cochpals@nhs.net PALS, or call into the PALS office in G4, Outpatients 1, Waiting Room 3, Monday - Friday 9.30am-4.30pm.
Contacting PALS is often the first (and informal) stage of the complaints process. We will acknowledge your concern in 2 working days and ask the service team to investigate this. The service will keep you updated throughout the process. A response will be given to you either by email, letter, telephone, or a face-to-face meeting.
Did we resolve your concern? If not, we can either repeat the process, or move to the complaints process.
Complaints
If you wish to make a formal complaint, then you should put your concerns in writing and will ensure that they are investigated thoroughly. These can be emailed through to the complaints team (cochcomplaints@nhs.net) or posted to our Chief Executive. The address is:
Jane Tomkinson
Chief Executive
Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Liverpool Road
Chester
CH2 1UL
Should you not be able to submit your complaint in writing and require reasonable adjustments, please contact our PALS team.
We will acknowledge your complaint in 3 working days and allocate a lead investigator within the service team. We will provide you with a date that we aim to respond by. If there is any delay, we will keep you updated. Your response will be provided in letter format from our CEO. This will either be emailed or posted to you.
Did we resolve your complaint? If not, we will review if this meets our reopen criteria (new questions / unanswered questions / new evidence). If it does not meet this, we will refer you to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman for the next stage of the complaints process. If it meets the reopen criteria, the above process is repeated.
Did we resolve your complaint? If not, we will refer you to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman for the next stage of the complaints process.
Useful Information
- Every concern and complaint is given a case handler from the PALS or Complaints Team. They will introduce themselves when they acknowledge you, and are there to support you throughout the process. If you have any questions, please contact them.
- Formal complaints to the NHS or the Ombudsman must be made within 12 months of becoming aware of your concern.
- The formal complaints process will not provide financial compensations. For this, we advise that you seek independent legal advice and review the NHS Resolutions advice for claimants
- We carry out equality assessments on our policies to ensure that all patients, regardless of their background, receive fair and equal treatment. This helps us identify and address any potential barriers to access, ensuring everyone receives the care they deserve. Click here to see our equality assessment for our complaints policy.
Advocacy
If you need any assistance or support with pursuing your complaint, you may wish to use an independent advocacy Service. Healthwatch Cheshire CIC is a local service
Leaflets / Aids
Data Collection
The NHS collects information about patients. You can learn more about how this information could be used here.
Last updated: 13 February 2025