Complaints, comments, compliments or concerns

As part of our commitment to continually improving our services, we are always keen to hear what you think - whether good or bad.

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) has had a significant impact, with our clinical teams focusing on patient care and safety.   In light of this we have made changes to our complaints and PALS team.

  • We would politely ask that where possible concerns are sent to us via email: pals.lypft@nhs.net.  We will endeavour to offer support and guidance with all concerns raised and we do request that you remain patient with us during this unprecedented time.
  • The service is triaging all concerns that come into the Trust and following a plan to ensure that immediate issues are prioritised and non-urgent concerns are addressed appropriately.
  • For those concerns that become a formal complaint there will be a 3 month delay in starting any investigating (reflecting national guidance) unless they relate to very serious safety issues.

We thanks you for your patience at this time.

We take all feedback we receive very seriously, whether you’d like to share a positive experience, share your ideas on how to improve our services or share details of where you’ve not been happy with something.

Anyone is entitled to give feedback or make a complaint, including on behalf of someone else. We want you to feel confident that your feedback will be dealt with fairly and in a timely manner.

You can share your comments, raise your concerns or share a compliment for our service by contacting our PALS team.

We also have a formal complaints process for when things haven’t gone so well and you would like a formal resolution.

You should make your complaint as soon as possible. The time limit for a complaint is normally:

  • 12 months from the date the event happened, or
  • 12 months from the date you first became aware of it

For more information, please read our Complaints Procedure.

I have a comment / compliment / concern or would like some advice

If you would like to speak to us about a concern or would like to make a comment or share a compliment for our service, you could choose to do this in the following ways:

Speak to a member of staff

If you are already receiving services from our Trust, you can speak to your named clinician or care co-ordinator who will be happy to help you and try to resolve you concerns.

Speak to the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)

You can contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS). This service can be used by anyone who wants more information about services and support groups provided by our Trust.

Tel: 0800 052 5790
Email: pals.lypft@nhs.net
Post: The PALS Office, The Becklin Centre, Alma Street, Leeds, LS9 7BE

Provide anonymous feedback to the independent Patient Opinion website

If you have used our services, or know someone else who has, you can give your feedback on the Patient Opinion website.

Patient Opinion is completely independent from our Trust and reviews are anonymous. Every time a review of our Trust or one of our services is added to the site the Patient Opinion team let us know so that we can learn from the feedback and respond. Please do not use this method if you would like a formal response.

Provide feedback on the NHS website

The NHS website is the UK’s biggest health website and you can use it to share a review of our Trust or one of our services.

When a review is posted on the site we receive a notification so that we can learn from feedback and respond.

I would like to make a formal complaint

You can make a formal complaint in writing, via email, or over the phone.

Complain over the telephone

To make a complaint over the telephone, please call our Complaints Team on 0113 85 55955.

Complain by email

To make a complaint by email please download our complaint form, complete the details of your complaint, save it and send the form to complaints.lypft@nhs.net.

Complain in writing by post

To complain in writing through the post, please write to:

Chief Executive (c/o Complaints Manager)
Leeds & York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust,
Trust Headquarters,
Main House – St Marys House,
Leeds
LS7 3JX

What happens next?

We aim to respond to all complaints within 30 working days.

If you have any queries along the way, please contact our Complaints Manager using the details above.

Complaints Procedure

Our Trust is committed to providing an accessible, fair and effective means for users of its services and their relatives, carers, friends or advocates to express their views.

We must also provide a means to receive complaints relating to non-clinical issues which may arise from time-to-time; for example relating to Trust staff, services, systems or processes.

Our Trust aims to promote a culture in which all forms of feedback are listened to and acted upon in order to learn lessons and implement improvements to our services.

For more information, please read our Complaints Procedure.
Download our complaint form

I would like to make a formal complaint but I need help doing this

No one should be prevented from making a complaint because they feel the process is too complicated or that they won’t get the support they require.

Independent advocacy services are there to help and you’ll find their contact details below.

If your issue is about our services in Leeds

For help with submitting a complaint about our services in Leeds please contact Leeds Independent Health Complaints Advocacy.

Tel: 0113 244 0606
Email: lihca@advonet.org.uk

If your issue is about our services in York

For help with submitting a complaint about our services in York please contact York Advocacy.

Tel: 01904 414357
Email: office@yorkadvocacy.org.uk

I have received a response to my complaint, but I still have further queries

Please let us know if you are unhappy with our response to your complaint. It may be that we need to do more to address your concerns and we are always willing to see if more can be done.

You can either contact our Complaints Manager, or speak to an independent advocacy service.

Contact our Complaints Manager

Tel: 0113 85 55955
Email: complaints.lypft@nhs.net

Contact an independent advocacy service
  • Leeds Independent Advocacy Service (for complaints about services in Leeds), tel: 0113 244 0606, email: lihca@advonet.org.uk
  • York Advocacy Service (for complaints about services in York), tel: 01904 414357, email: office@yorkadvocacy.org.uk
Contacting the Health Ombudsman

Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust will strive to do everything we can to resolve your complaint satisfactorily. However, if you remain dissatisfied at the outcome, you have the right to refer your complaint to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman. Please note that the Ombudsman will only consider your complaint once it has been investigated and responded to by us.

Tel: 0345 0154033 (8.30am – 5.30pm Monday – Friday)
Email: phso.enquiries@ombudsman.org.uk
Website: http://www.ombudsman.org.uk/make-a-complaint
In writing: The Health Service Ombudsman, Millbank Tower, Millbank, London, SW1P 4QP

To provide feedback to the Care Quality Commission (CQC)

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of all health and care services in England. They are always happy to hear about peoples’ experiences when accessing NHS services.

Feedback can be given anonymously should you wish.

Depending on the nature of the feedback, the Care Quality Commission will take a decision as to whether to inform our Trust about any comments, as these may prompt us to identify improvements in the way our services are run.

Tel: 03000 61 61 61
Email: enquiries@cqc.org.uk
Website: http://www.cqc.org.uk/
In writing: CQC National Customer Service Centre, Citygate, Gallowgate, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4PA

What other ways can I give feedback?

Your feedback is invaluable in helping us to shape our services.  If you have received exceptional care or if there was an aspect of your care you weren’t happy about, we would like to hear your views.

You can share your feedback with us through our new “Have Your Say” survey (formerly Family and Friends Test), or look at what other methods are available to you on our Feedback and Experience page.