Feedback, concerns and complaints

NHS Surrey and Sussex Integrated Care Board (ICB) welcomes all forms of feedback, including comments, compliments, enquiries, and formal complaints. We use your experiences to monitor the quality of local healthcare and to drive continuous service improvement across our region.

If you wish to share feedback or raise a concern, please review the options below to find the most appropriate pathway for your needs.

Who should I complain to?

Under section 7 of the NHS Complaints Regulations, the person raising a complaint has a choice of complaining to the provider of the service, or to the commissioner of the service.

However, a formal complaint about any aspect of care is best made direct to the provider of that care. 

If you have any concerns about the service that you have received from a healthcare provider (such as at a GP practice or hospital) you can raise your concerns directly with the provider.

Please visit their websites to find out more.

What can you complain to the ICB about?

The ICB can investigate complaints regarding:

  • Services directly commissioned or funded by the ICB.
  • Funding or commissioning decisions, including Continuing Healthcare (CHC) assessments and Individual Funding Requests (IFRs).
  • Administrative or corporate functions of the ICB.

If your complaint relates to the direct clinical care or operational delivery of a local provider (such as an NHS Trust, GP surgery, dentist, or pharmacy), you can choose to complain directly to that provider.

Under statutory regulations, a complaint cannot be investigated by both the provider and the commissioner simultaneously.

How to lodge a formal complaint

You can submit your complaint in writing or orally. If you make an oral complaint, a member of our team will document the details and provide a written summary for you to review and agree.

Email

syheartlandsicb.complaints@nhs.net 

Postal Address

NHS Surrey and Sussex ICB
Block C, 1st Floor
Dukes Court
Woking
Surrey
GU21 5BH

Telephone

03005 612 500

SMS text

07917 087 560

Getting support when making a complaint

Every patient has the right to free, confidential, and independent support when making a complaint. If you require assistance to articulate your concerns or navigate the complaints process, you can contact your local independent NHS Complaints Advocacy service.

If you live in Surrey

The Health Complaints Advocacy Service in Surrey is provided by Healthwatch Surrey in partnership with SILC (Surrey Independent Living Charity).

You can contact the team via:

If you live in East Sussex or Brighton and Hove

In East Sussex and Brighton and Hove, the Health Complaints Advocacy Service is provided by The Advocacy People and is available to support you and represent your views when making a complaint about the NHS.

You can contact The Advocacy People via:

If you live in West Sussex

In West Sussex, the Health Complaints Advocacy Service is provided by Healthwatch West Sussex.

You can contact the team via:

What happens next?

Acknowledgement

We aim to formally acknowledge your complaint within three working days of receipt. We will discuss the scope of the investigation with you and confirm the areas requiring a response.

Timescales

For internal ICB or standard commissioning complaints, we aim to provide a full response within 45 working days.

For complex cases or multi-agency system complaints involving external providers, our target resolution timeframe is 75 working days.

If an investigation requires an extension beyond these dates, or exceeds six months, we will write to you formally to explain the delay and provide a revised deadline.

What happens if you’re unhappy with your outcome?

If you remain dissatisfied with the final response issued by the ICB under local resolution, you retain the statutory right to escalate your case to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO). The Ombudsman is completely independent of the NHS.

Website: www.ombudsman.org.uk

Telephone: 0345 015 4033