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How you make a complaint about primary care services is changing on 1 July


You have the right to make a complaint about any aspect of NHS care, treatment or service, and this is written into the NHS Constitution on GOV.UK. 

From 1 July 2023 the way members of the public make a complaint about primary care services to the commissioner is changing.  

 By primary care services we mean GPs, dentists, opticians or pharmacy services. 

There are two ways you can make a complaint: 

  • You can complain to the healthcare provider: this is the organisation where you received the NHS service, for example a GP surgery or dental surgery.   
  • You can complain to the commissioner of the service: this is the organisation that paid for the service or care you received. 

After 1 July 2023 if you want to make a complaint about primary care services to the commissioner you will now contact NHS North East London integrated care board instead of NHS England. 

You can do this by: 
Telephone: 020 8221 5750
E-mail: nelondonicb.complaints@nhs.net 

Writing to us at: 
Complaints Department
NHS North East London
4th Floor – Unex Tower
5 Station Street
London E15 1DA  

If you want to make a complaint directly to the provider of the primary care service, you still can – that does not change on the 1 July 2023. 

Members of the public with ongoing complaints received on/after 1 July 2022 will receive a letter from NHS England informing them that the ICB is now handling their complaint with confirmation of their case handler. 

Members of the public with any ongoing complaints received before 1 July 2022 will receive a letter from NHS England informing them that their complaint is being retained by NHS England with confirmation of their case handler. 

If you have any queries, please contact nelondonicb.complaints@nhs.net.  

Find out more about how to feedback or make a complaint about an NHS service 

From 1 July 2023 the way members of the public make a complaint about primary care services to the commissioner is changing. Rather than contacting NHS England, they will contact their local integrated care board (ICB). The public can still complain directly to the provider (GP, dentist etc) – this is not changing.

Operational responsibility for the complaints function will move to ICBs on 1 July 2023.

Members of the public with ongoing complaints received on/after 1 July 2022 will receive a letter from NHS England informing them that the ICB is now handling their complaint with confirmation of their case handler.

Members of the public with any ongoing complaints received before 1 July 2022 will receive a letter from NHS England informing them that their complaint is being retained by NHS England with confirmation of their case handler.

There are many organisations that will help signpost people to information about how to provide feedback or make a complaint about healthcare services. These are some of the main ones.

In the main, yes. There are some specialised services, such as Health and Justice, where the care provided by a GP in a prison setting is still commissioned directly by NHS England and therefore NHS England would still manage these complaints.  List of retained services listed below:

Retained services commissioned directly by NHSE 

The following is a list of services that NHS England central complaints team will retain the handling of after 1 July 2023. 

  • Specialised Commissioning 
  • Health and Justice 
  • Armed Forces Health 
  • Section 7a (Public Health Immunisations and Vaccinations) 
  • PCSE 
  • Services delivered nationally by NHSE to patients/public (such as Screening Call and Recall, NHS App etc) 

This list is not exhaustive.  

In the main, yes. There are some specialised services, such as Health and Justice, where the care provided by a GP in a prison setting is still commissioned directly by NHS England and therefore NHS England would still manage these complaints.  List of retained services listed below:

Retained services commissioned directly by NHSE 

The following is a list of services that NHS England central complaints team will retain the handling of after 1 July 2023. 

  • Specialised Commissioning 
  • Health and Justice 
  • Armed Forces Health 
  • Section 7a (Public Health Immunisations and Vaccinations) 
  • PCSE 
  • Services delivered nationally by NHSE to patients/public (such as Screening Call and Recall, NHS App etc) 

This list is not exhaustive.