Making a formal complaint

Moorfields is committed to providing the best possible care for our patients. If you feel that the treatment or service you received fell short of your expectations or you have cause for concern, you can contact our Patient Advise and Liaison Service who will readily assist you with any questions or concerns you may have. You can also make a formal complaint, by following the procedure set out below. We take all complaints very seriously, treat them confidentially, investigate each one individually, and endeavour to respond as quickly as possible. We acknowledge the importance of complaints and use them as an opportunity to learn how to improve our services and all aspects of the patient experience.

How to make a complaint

You can make a complaint either by sending a letter to our complaints manager or by fillling out the form below. If you wish to discuss your complaint, please call the complaints team on 020 7566 2054 (Monday - Friday in normal office hours).

Letters should be addressed to:

The complaints manager
Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
162 City Road
London EC1V 2PD

Try to make your complaint as soon as possible. This makes it easier for everyone involved to recall what happened and investigate more effectively. You should normally make your complaint within twelve months of the event(s).

Provide as much information as you can, including your full name and address and if possible hospital number.

Due to the Data Protection Act and patient confidentiality responsibilities, we cannot disclose any information to a third party without the written consent of the patient. Therefore if you are complaining on behalf of a relative or friend, we will need a signed letter from them giving their consent to discuss details of their care.

Below are the stages that we will follow in response to your complaint.

Local resolution

Stage 1 - Acknowledgement

When your formal complaint is received, whether it is made verbally or in writing, the chief executive is notified and the investigation begins. A letter of (please remove of) acknowledging receipt of your complaint is sent within three working days of it being received.

Stage 2 - The investigation

The staff that have been involved in your care are asked for comments on the matters that you have raised. If the complaint concerns your clinical care, your medical records will be consulted.

Stage 3 - The response

As soon as responses are received from staff, they are checked to ensure that they are sufficiently clear and detailed. If this is the case, the responses are incorporated into a reply which the chief executive reviews and signs. If more information is required, a further investigation is undertaken. You can expect to receive a reply from the chief executive within 25 working days of the Trust receiving your complaint. Some complaints can be dealt with more quickly. However, in the case of complex complaints, the investigation can take longer. If the investigation is delayed we will write to keep you informed of progress.

Stage 4 - Outstanding concerns

We hope that the written response from the chief executive answers all your concerns satisfactorily. If we have not done so, please inform us of your unresolved concerns and we will continue our enquiries. We will make every effort to ensure that all your concerns are resolved, but if you are not completely satisfied there is another stage to take things further.

Independent review

If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of the local resolution process, you are entitled to go to the second stage of the NHS complaints procedure and request that your complaint is considered by the Health Service Ombudsman for England. However, we do hope that we will be able to resolve your concerns and make improvements before getting to this point. 

You can contact the Health Service Ombudsman by writing to:

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
Millbank Tower
Millbank, London, SW1P 4QP

Telephone: 0345 0154033
Email: phso.enquiries@ombudsman.org.uk
Website: www.ombudsman.org.uk 

The Independent Complaints Advocacy Service (ICAS) can also provide you with advice and support if you wish to complain. You can contact ICAS on 0845 120 3784.