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Freedom of Information Act

If you are unhappy with the care you receive and wish to make a formal complaint, letters in respect of the GP Out of Hours Service should be addressed to the Chief Executive, Swansea Local Health Board. If the complaint relates to NHS Direct Wales, they should be addressed to The Chief Executive, Swansea NHS Trust,21 Orchard Street, Swansea.  If you are unsure, or the complaint is about more than one provider, please write to the Local Health Board.

Please forward your complaint to the Chief Executive at the following address:

Swansea Local Health Board,

Kidwelly House, Charter Court, Phoenix Way,

Llansamlet, Swansea SA7 9FS

Tel. 01792 784800

The Local Health Board will:

• Acknowledge receipt of your complaint within 2 working days.
• Investigate your complaint by contacting all or any of the three Providers.
• Offer to meet with you to discuss the matter in more detail, if this is appropriate.
• Offer a full, written explanation within 20 working days.  If for any reason they are unable to obtain all the necessary information within that time scale they will keep you informed of the reasons for delay.

The aim of the NHS Complaints Procedure is to resolve problems locally whenever possible.  If you remain dissatisfied you may ask for an independent review of your complaint by writing to the Independent Review Secretariat.  This needs to be done within 28 days of the final letter you receive about your complaint.  Further details can be provided by Swansea Local Health Board. An independent Lay Conciliator can be provided to help facilitate a meeting between yourself and the LHB, or the service provider.  You may also wish to bring a friend or relative with you.

It is important that you make your complaint as soon as possible after the problem arises.  Usually the NHS will only investigate complaints that are either:

• Made within 6 months of the event; or
• Made within 6 months of you realising that you have something to complain about, as long as that is not more than 12 months after the event itself.

The Community Health Council (CHC) is independent of the NHS and can offer help, advice and advocacy.  You can contact the CHC at: 

Swansea Community Health Council

Britannic House, Llandarcy, Neath,

Swansea SA10 6JQ

Tel. 01792 324201 

Help can be offered if your first language is one other than English, or if you have vision or hearing difficulties - please let us know.

Copyright 2006 Swansea Out of Hours Service (S.O.S.)