Complaining about private healthcare is very different from complaining about care on the NHS, which has its own system. So, how can you make a private healthcare complaint?
Here, we cover everything you need to know about lodging a complaint against a private clinic, from understanding patient advocacy to contacting a healthcare ombudsman.
What Is a Private Healthcare Complaint?
If you are dissatisfied with the healthcare quality you received from a private clinic, you are entitled to make your feelings known and submit a complaint. A complaint is different from a medical negligence claim, which is when substandard care causes injury or worsens an existing condition. If private healthcare has harmed you or a loved one, you may be able to bring a legal claim.
When Can I Make a Complaint About Private Healthcare?
You should submit your private healthcare complaint as soon as possible to enable a fair and effective investigation to take place, and often within six months of the incident, although each private provider may have its own time limits.
Private providers may consider complaints outside of their usual time limits, particularly if you have a good reason for the delay, such as ill health.
How Do I Complain About Private Healthcare?
If you have received a substandard quality of private healthcare, it can feel daunting to question your provider. Medical Solicitors can help you fully understand your patient rights and the healthcare provider’s responsibilities.
When complaining about healthcare quality at a private clinic, we recommend you take the following steps:
- Gather information
Before contacting anyone, gather details about your private care and patient dissatisfaction, including the procedures you had and your appointment dates.
For residential care homes, detail the specific treatments or facilities you are concerned about.
- Directly contact your private care provider
First, try speaking informally with your private healthcare provider. If their customer service is good, this is usually the quickest and easiest way to solve your problem.
Set up a meeting to go through your concerns, ideally with the person most involved in your care. Remember to keep a record of your communications, or ask for a copy of the minutes from any meeting.
- Follow your private healthcare provider’s complaints procedure
If speaking informally does not work, you can make a formal complaint. Private healthcare providers should detail their complaints procedure on their website or share it upon request.
We recommend issuing your private healthcare complaint in writing so you have a copy for your records. Our expert team would be happy to help write or review your complaint letter.
What Happens When I Complain About Private Healthcare?
Once you’ve submitted a formal complaint to your private healthcare provider, they should respond within 20–30 working days by issuing an apology, offering compensation or addressing your concerns in another way.
Their healthcare customer service team may invite you to a meeting. You are not obliged to attend, so if you do not feel comfortable, you may insist on a written response. Having a written record can help our team review your case accurately if you seek our help.
How to Escalate a Private Healthcare Complaint
If you are not satisfied with the response from your private healthcare provider’s customer service team, you can take things further by:
- Contacting the Independent Sector Complaints Adjudication Service (ISCAS)
If your clinic is a member of ISCAS, you can escalate the complaint to them for an independent and thorough review.
- Taking legal action with Medical Solicitors
If your care has resulted in significant harm, you can seek legal advice. Our expert team will help you navigate the private healthcare complaints process and pursue a claim for compensation.
Why Choose Medical Solicitors to Lodge a Private Healthcare Complaint
Medical Solicitors have helped many clients lodge complaints against private healthcare staff and then pursue a claim to win compensation for optometry, dental, hospital and GP negligence. If you have any questions about private healthcare complaints, don’t hesitate to contact our expert team.
We can guide you through the private healthcare complaints procedure and conduct any necessary legal action if you wish to make a claim. Medical Solicitors proudly offer a ‘No Win, No Fee’ guarantee, so you have nothing to lose by getting in touch.
This page was last updated on 12 January 2025