Compliments, comments, concerns and complaints

If you are pleased with the care you have received, please let us know and we will pass on your compliments to the staff or service concerned. We try to learn from your experiences and to understand what is important to you. You can email your comments using our feedback form below.

We aim to provide a high quality service at all times, however we do appreciate that there are times when things do not go according to plan or we do not meet the expectations of our patients and / or their relatives.

We would always hope to resolve issues at the time they arise, therefore you can always ask to speak with the ward or department manager.

If the ward or department manager is not available, you can contact a member of the Patient Experience Team (contact details below), who will attempt to resolve your concerns and /or will liaise with the relevant department on your behalf.

Information about the complaints procedure is available in the Patient Experience Team leaflet. An easy read version of this leaflet is also available.

You can send your complaint in writing to the Patient Experience Team, Appleton House, Lanchester Road, Durham DH1 5XZ; Freephone: 0800 783 5774;

email: cdda-tr.PatientExperienceCDDFT@nhs.net

If you are not happy with our final response to your complaint and would like to take the matter further, you can contact the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman. The Ombudsman makes final decisions on complaints that have not been resolved by the NHS, government departments and some other public organisations. The service is free for everyone. To take a complaint to the Ombudsman, go to www.ombudsman.org.uk/making-complaint or call 0345 015 4033. It is important that you make the complaint as soon as you receive our final response as there are time limits for the Ombudsman to look into complaints.

North East NHS Independent Complaints Advocacy (ICA)

The North East NHS Independent Complaints Advocacy (ICA) is an independent organisation providing support and advice for anyone wishing to complain about their NHS treatment. For more information, please click on the ICA link under 'Related links'.

Feedback form