Complaints

Making a complaint about healthcare

If you have a complaint about your treatment or access to healthcare please contact your local NHS Board.

Find out how to make a complaint about the NHS. This information is available in other languages (Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, French, Hindi, Lithuanian, Polish, Russian, Spanish and Urdu) and alternative formats.

Making a complaint about NSS

If you have a concern about the service you have received from NSS you should raise this, in the first instance, with the Division providing the service. They will be happy to discuss your concerns with you and may be able to resolve the matter immediately.

If you wish to make a formal complaint about the service you have received, you should write to the Complaints Officer for the Division responsible for delivering that service or use our online complaints form. NSS has a complaints procedure setting out how complaints will be handled.

Normally this should be within 6 months of the event you want to complain about or within 6 months of you becoming aware of the issue.

Independent advice and support service

If you are complaining either as a patient or on behalf of a patient you can access local support through Citizens Advice Bureau to guide you through the process. Our divisional officers will be able to direct you to this service.

Responding to your complaint

On receipt of your complaint we will:

• Acknowledge your complaint in writing within 3 working days
• Investigate your complaint
• Write to you with the outcome of the investigation. This will usually be within 20 working days of receiving your complaint, unless a longer investigation is needed. If so, we will advise you and provide you with updates at regular intervals, but not less than every 20 days.

Our details

Communications - Headquarters
National Services Scotland
Gyle Square
1 South Gyle Crescent
Edinburgh
EH12 9EB

telephone - 0131 275 6000
e-mail - nss.communications@nhs.net

Taking things further

The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman is independent of the National Health Service, and may be able to take up a complaint on your behalf. The Ombudsman will normally only be able to act if you have followed the step above.

To find out about the Ombudsman's work, visit the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman website, or use the contact details below.

Scottish Public Services Ombudsman
4 Melville Street
Edinburgh
EH3 7NS

telephone - 0800 377 7330
text - 0790 049 4372
fax - 0800 377 7331
e-mail - ask@spso.org.uk