Putting Things Right
A step-by-step guide on raising a concern regarding the NHS in Wales.
Created with young people, for young people.
A Children in Wales project, co-created with Young Wales volunteers
Design and Illustrations:
Glossary
Acknowledgement
Advocacy
Complaint
Concern
Formally
Health Board
Informally
Ombudsman
Accepting or recognising that something has happened.
Having someone independent on your side who listens to you, explains your rights, and helps you be heard during the complaints process.
Telling someone that you are unhappy about something, because it is not right or fair.
Feeling worried or caring a lot about something.
Another word for official or in a formal manner.
A government body responsible for delivering and looking after healthcare services within a specific geographic area.
Another word for casual, relaxed or unofficial.
A government official who investigates and tries to resolve complains. A person who stands up for others.
Hello and welcome!
This resource was made for young people to learn more about the Putting Things Right Process. It can help you, or someone close to you, to raise a concern with NHS Wales.
The NHS in Wales aims to provide the very best care and treatment, but sometimes things may not go as well as expected.
When that happens, you should raise your concerns with the staff involved with your care or treatment, so that they can look at what may have gone wrong and try to make it better.
In NHS Wales, this is done through a process known as ‘Putting Things Right’, or PTR for short. This resource was created to break down the process, so the information makes sense for young people – it was created with young people, for young people.
You can read this resource alone, or you could read it together with a trusted adult. If you find anything confusing, take a look at the glossary at the front of the resource, or look for more information by following QR codes.
So, let’s get into it!
Exploring the Steps of the Complaints Procedure
The Putting Things Right Process can be broken down into 6 different steps.
This page will introduce you to our friends, who will guide you through each step and explain what you need to do to move forward.
They are kind and want to use their skills to support you in this process - you can check in with them whenever you need to, by reading this resource.
There are some friends you should meet who can help you learn about the PTR process…
Step 1
Raise Concerns Informally Tiger
Fierce and focused on the goal. Tiger is here to help you channel your energy. She will guide you through the first steps of raising your concerns informally – who you need to talk to and what information you need to provide.
Step 2
Formal Complaint Submission
Crocodile
Crocodile gets things done. She will guide you through every detail required in submitting your formal complaint – who to contact, how to reach them, how to write your complaints, and what to expect. This caring croc has got all the information to get your complaint submitted in a snap!
Step 3
Acknowledgement of Complaint
Manta Ray is patient. Which is exactly what is needed at this stage of the process, where you receive acknowledgment of your complaint. If waiting isn’t your speed, he’s got some activities to help look after your wellbeing.
Step 4 Step 5 Step 6 Investigation and Response Whale and Coral
Whale and Coral are a supportive team. Any questions you have about the investigation and response step, Whale will take the deep dive to talk to Coral, who knows exactly how the whole process works. Together, they will support you in the most accessible way.
Support and Advocacy Penguin
Penguin is attentive and careful. He guides you through the icy terrain of support and advocacy, pointing out useful paths, services and organisations that could help you get to your complaint through the finish line.
Escalation to the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales
Giraffe and Monkey
Giraffe and Monkey are the “oh, dear!” team. They fully understand that you’re not happy with the final outcome of your complaint and are here to do something about it. Together, they will help you get in touch with the Ombudsman to investigate your complaint further.
Step 1 Raise Concerns Informally
The first step of the Putting Things Right process is to raise a concern informally.
If you have a concern, you should tell someone as soon as possible. The Putting Things Right process requires complaints to be made within twelve months of the incident, or when you first became aware of the issue.
What is a Concern?
If you are sharing a concern, you are speaking up about something you feel unhappy about or do not like. A concern could be something going wrong that makes you feel angry or upset.
A concern could be about:
• The care or treatment you have had
• The place where you had the treatment, like a hospital or an ambulance
• The people who looked after you, like a nurse or a doctor
“I’ve never made an informal complaint before, what do I need to do?“
“What do I say?“
Think about the following:
What happened? When did this happen? How did it make you feel?
Who was impacted? Where did it happen? What do you want to happen next?
“And…
who do I need to talk to?”
• Talk to staff/ Doctor/ Nurse who provided the service
• Contact the manager of the GP or hospital
• PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service)
Step 2 Formal Complaint Submission
If you are not happy with the response to your informal complaint, the second step of the ‘Putting Things Right’ process is making a formal complaint submission.
If you are not happy with the response to your informal complaint, the second step of the ‘Putting Things Right’ process is making a formal complaint submission.
To do this, you need to get in touch with your local health
There are seven different Health Boards across Wales, which work to deliver and look after healthcare services in Wales. Each Health Board has a concerns team which handle complaints.
Where is my Health Board?
The Hywel Dda University Health Board is responsible for Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire.
The Swansea Bay University Health Board covers Swansea, Neath Port Talbot, and provides some regional services.
The Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board covers Bridgend, Merthyr Tydfil, and Rhondda Cynon Taf.
The Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board is responsible for the areas of Anglesey, Gwynedd, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire and Wrexham.
The Powys Teaching Health Board serves the entirety of Powys.
The Aneurin Bevan University Health Board covers Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Monmouthshire, Newport and Torfaen.
The Cardiff and Vale University Health Board serves the areas of Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan.
Contacting a Health Board
Who should I talk to?
Each Health Board or Trust has their own concerns team – you can contact them through the information outlined below.
Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB)
Website:
Email:
Phone: bcuhb.nhs.wales/ 01248 384194
ConcernsTeam.bcu@wales.nhs.uk
University Health Board (CTMUHB)
Website:
Email:
Phone: ctmuhb.nhs.wales/ 01443 744915
CTHB_Concerns@wales.nhs.uk
Cardiff and Vale University Health Board (CAVUHB)
Website:
Email:
Phone: cavuhb.nhs.wales/ 029 2183 6318
Aneurin Bevan University Health Board (ABUHB)
Website:
Email:
Phone: abuhb.nhs.wales/ 01633 431666
PuttingThingsRight.ABHB@wales.nhs.uk Cwm Taf
concerns@wales.nhs.uk
Powys Teaching Health Board (PTHP)
Website: Email: Phone: pthb.nhs.wales/ 01874 712582
Concerns.qualityandsafety.POW@wales.nhs.uk
Hywel Dda University Health Board (HDUHB)
Website: Email: Phone: hduhb.nhs.wales/ 0300 0200 159
hdhb.patientsupportservices@wales.nhs.uk
Swansea Bay University Health Board (SBUHB)
Website: Email: Phone: sbuhb.nhs.wales/ 01639 683316
SBU.Complaint@wales.nhs.uk
Who can help me submit my complaint?
As a young person, there are lots of people and organisations who can support you to submit a complaint in the PTR process. This section outlines who could support you, and what they can do to help.
Advocates and Support in Wales
Charities like Meic and Platfform champion young people’s mental health and wellbeing. You can use their chat services to ask for support with your complaint, or look into in-person support.
NYAS Cymru can help children and young people to speak up for themselves, and make sure that they are involved in decisions affecting their lives. They are a children’s rights-centred service.
TGP Cymru Advocacy Services is a specific service for looked-after children, those with additional needs, adopted children and care leavers. They provide a free service to support children and young people (0-25) to make a complaint.
Llais is the national independent body set up to give the people of Wales a stronger voice in their health and social care services. They offer a Complaints Advocacy service – which can help you raise a concern with a service provider and make a complaint to the Public Services Ombudsman.
Have you considered talking to…
A trusted adult?
A youth worker?
A friendly teacher?
Writing a Complaint
Writing a complaint can be a difficult task, but the next couple of pages will help you write a complaint.
Remember: You are not on your own with this task –ask a trusted adult for support, like a parent, social worker or teacher.
Looking at the Structure of a Complaint
When starting to write your complaint, you might want to think about including the following:
• Clear opening: Have you used a sentence starter to open your writing?
• Outline the issue: What has happened? Why are you complaining?
• Names: Who is involved? This could be you and your family, or the staff involved in your care. Who has been impacted, and how do they feel?
• Where and When?: Have you included dates, times and location where the event happened?
• What do you want to happen next?
Phrase Banks
If you’re struggling to find words to write your complaint, you can pluck these phrases for your letter.
Disappointed Involve
Connectors
Because Also As a result… Next time…
This meant that… However For example…
Sentence Starters
I am writing to share my concerns about…
I would like to complain about the way… I felt like ___ when…
I did not feel listened to because…
I would have liked it if…
It was hard for me when…
This made me feel…
I would like you to…
Example of the Concerns Form
It is common for each Health Board to process their Complaints and Compliments service in different ways. They may ask you to get in touch via email, via post or through a Microsoft Forms.
The links below will take you to the relevant pages. If you are confused by the process, you can ask a trusted adult or get in touch with the Health Board for further guidance.
Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board
Hywel Dda University Health Board
Cardiff and Vale University Health Board
Powys Teaching Health Board
Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board
Swansea Bay University Health Board
Aneurin Bevan University Health Board
Step 3
Acknowledgement of Complaint
After submitting your complaint, you will receive a friendly email acknowledging your complaint within two working days from your Health Board.
NHS Wales aims to provide a final response to formal complaints within 30 working days. More complex cases may require an extended response time, up to six months, with regular updates provided.
We recognise that the concerns process has the potential to be stressful and impact your wellbeing. Whilst you wait, perhaps you could take a look at these wellbeing tools and activities to make the waiting a little more fun.
Creating a Love Spoon design
Step 4 Investigation and Response
This is when your Health Board will investigate your complaint and provide a response to those impacted. They will use this time to talk to the people involved in the complaint - this could be doctors, nurses, carers, hospital staff, you and your family - and figure out what has gone wrong.
They do this so that they can come to a conclusion about your complaint, and provide steps to move forward.
What will your Health Board do to investigate?
• They will talk to the staff involved in the incident.
• They may talk more to you and those impacted by the incident.
• They will research into the incident to find out what happened.
They will come to a conclusion, and let you know their findings.
What will a response look like?
• Written response
• Apology (if appropriate)
• Explanation of actions taken
Please be assured that…
• They will make sure you will be taken seriously.
• Their main aim is to make you feel heard.
• Your complaint will help your Health Board to improve the service provided.
A response may include…
• Opportunity for a meeting
• Opinions from experts related to the complaint or case
• Medical records
Step 5 Support and Advocacy
What happens once you have raised your concern?
So, you’ve submitted your complaint and you are awaiting a response from your local Health Board.
What happens next?
This is where support and advocacy opportunities can benefit you in the process. Submitting a complaint to the NHS can be emotional, and it may be a time when you are in need of some extra support.
You might want to talk to somebody about your feelings, or you may want somebody to talk to the investigators on your behalf.
Let’s break it down, what does this step mean?
What kind of support could help me?
• Someone to listen to your experience.
• Somebody to help with writing letters, filling in forms or preparing for meetings.
• Helplines and online chat services
• Peer support groups to connect with other young people with similar experiences
• Safe spaces to talk or referrals to counselling services
• Wellbeing resources
• Follow-up support and check-ins
• Links to useful organisations which can help you.
What is Advocacy? Is it helpful to me?
Advocacy means having someone independent on your side who listens to you, explains your rights, and helps you be heard during the complaints process. It can be very helpful, because an advocate makes sure your views are taken seriously and supports you through what can feel like a confusing or stressful system.
Their job has three main parts:
1 2 3
Advocates listen to you.
Advocates give you information about your rights and options.
Advocates support you to let others know what you think, feel and want to happen.
Advocates & Support in Wales
Who can I contact?
Having a troubling experience with the NHS can leave us distressed. Below are some examples of who you can contact and how they can help with your complaint.
Llais offers free, independent, and confidential advocacy to help young people in Wales navigate the NHS complaints system. This includes support like writing letters, preparing for meetings, and understanding their rights. They don’t make decisions for you, but empower you to speak up and stay in control of your complaint.
Meic Cymru is a free, confidential helpline for young people in Wales (up to 25). Available daily via phone, text or online chat. They offer advice, explain your rights, and can support you to speak up or act on your behalf if needed.
NYAS has experienced independent advocates who are always on the side of children and young people. They listen to what children and young people want, inform them of their rights, and empower them to get their voices heard. They offer a free national helpline, as well as opportunities for peer mentoring and advocacy.
TGP Cymru provides free, independent advocacy for children and young people in Wales. Supporting those who are looked after, care leavers, adopted, under special guardianship, or otherwise in need of care and support. They help you understand your rights, speak up in meetings, and get your voice heard when dealing with health professionals.
Carers Trust is an organisation that provides support to those who have to look after disabled family members or friends. This charity can support individuals with complaints against the NHS by offering financial or emotional support to the carer. Being a carer can take a toll on your mental health, especially if the person you’ve cared for is having a serious issue with the NHS.
CAMHS is a mental health service that helps young people aged 3-18 with mental health difficulties. This can range from anxiety and depression to more severe disorders such as bipolar disorder or borderline personality disorder. CAMHS can support you with different types of therapy, such as art therapy, but can also offer family therapy. This may not only help with the stress of the carer but also the person being cared for as well.
Good Samaritans is a charity that is open 24/7 and will help anyone without judgement. Their support mainly involves suicide prevention and talking to others during difficult times. This charity can support those with a complaint to the NHS by having open discussions with the victim of on incident with the NHS.
Mind Cymru is a charity that strives to ensure everyone across Wales is aware of what mental health support is available to them and when they need it. They have sixteen local Mind offices across Wales, which offer different projects for young people to get involved in. They offer a helpline, crisis resources and emergency advice online.
Escalation to the Public Service Ombudsman
If you have made a complaint, and it has gone to the final stage but you are still unhappy, you may be able to complain to an Ombudsman.
Yes, but what is an Ombudsman?
An Ombudsman investigates complaints about organisations. You don’t have to pay to take a complaint to an Ombudsman. An Ombudsman must act fairly.
The word ‘Ombudsman’ comes from Sweden. In Swedish, it translates to representative or a person who stands up for others.
Who is the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales?
The Public Service Ombudsman for Wales investigates complaints about public services. They are independent, impartial, fair and open to all who use them. Their service is free to use.
How can they help me?
They conduct an independent investigation into your complaint if you are not happy with the response from your Health Board. They can take things further, in an effort to help improve public services in Wales.
To reach the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales, you can use the contact information below:
Telephone: 0300 790 0203 www.ombudsman-wales.org.uk
Postal Address: 1 Ffordd yr Hen Gae, Pencoed, CF35 5LJ
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