Raise it, if it’s safe

Safe means you feel supported and not at risk.

In most cases the first step is to raise the concern directly. This could be with the health staff or with the service depending on what the problem is. This gives them the chance to fix the issue. Below are some ideas about whether to talk to the practitioner or service. Talking to both is also sometimes the right thing to do.

If you think you might be at risk of emotional harm, retaliation or escalation by talking to a practitioner, go to the service or Take it Further.

You can ask for support from family or friends to write a letter, or have someone you trust come along to your appointment.

Concerns about health staff

If your concern relates to how a specific health staff member treated you, you can raise it directly with them, if possible and safe to do so.

More information

Examples:

A mistake happened that could have been avoided
Language made me feel judged or discriminated against
I felt like I was not heard or I did not have a say in my care decisions
I did not understand what went wrong

You could do this by:

Waiting until your next appointment and speaking in person
Writing an email - go through reception staff if possible
Writing a letter

Concerns about a service

If the concern relates to the service itself, you can raise it with the health service.

More information

This includes:

Service delivery issues - for example poor communication about appointment changes
Administrative problems - for example lost paperwork or billing mistakes
Issues with amenities - for example disability access

You could do this by:

Phoning reception staff
Writing an email
Writing a letter
Visiting the service in person

Helpful tips

Write down what happened and why this concerned you
Note dates, times, and names
Be clear about what outcome you want

For useful tips, sample letters and other information, please click here.

Not sure if it’s a staff or service issue?

Staff issue

If the concern is about their behaviour and it feels safe to raise the issue.
If you think raising the concern could help you work together better.
If you have a good relationship with health staff and feel safe to raise a service issue.

Service issue

If the concern is about the service.
If you do not want to speak to the health staff directly.
If it feels unsafe to speak to the health staff directly.
If it is difficult to get hold of the staff member directly.