Patient Services FAQs
NHS Greater Manchester has a dedicated GM wide team, made up of experienced and caring staff, who will provide you with information, answer your questions, raise your concerns and investigate your complaints. The team will talk to you about the options to resolve your concerns and will always try to resolve issues informally wherever possible, as this will often be the quickest way for you to get information and answers, and for us to make changes to improve services.
We recommend reading the information on our Patient Services Team page first about the help they can provide you.
Frequently Asked Questions
A concern, compliment or complaint can be made by any person who has received or is receiving NHS treatment or services, or any person who has been affected by an action, omission or decision of NHS Greater Manchester.
A concern or complaint can also be made by a representative (with appropriate consent) acting on another person’s behalf, if that person:
- Has requested the representative to act on their behalf;
- Is a child;
- Is unable to make the complaint themselves because of physical incapacity or lack of capacity within the meaning of the Mental Capacity Act 2005;
- Has died.
Formal complaints must be made within 12 months from the date on which a matter occurred or the matter came to the notice of the complainant, unless there are exceptional circumstances.
NHS Greater Manchester is specifically responsible for investigating concerns and complaints about actions, omissions or decisions we make or of our staff who are directly employed by NHS Greater Manchester.
If you have a concern or complaint relating to the way an NHS service has been commissioned, or you have been directly affected by a commissioning decision made by us, please contact us directly. You can do this by contacting our Patient Services Team using the following contact details:
Email: nhsgm.patientservices@nhs.net
Telephone: 0161 271 3980
Postal address: NHS Greater Manchester, The Tootal Buildings, 56 Oxford St, Manchester M1 6EU
We recognise that the NHS is incredibly complex, and it is not always easy to know where best to send concerns, compliments or complaints. If you are unsure, then do please ask us and we’ll help you to direct your feedback to the right place.
If you require any help or advice with a complaint you wish to make, independent complaints advocacy (ICA) is available to all residents of Greater Manchester. ICA provide help and support through the complaints process but can also help write letters, attend meetings and help you find the correct organisation to make your complaints to, especially if you have a complex enquiry.
Please find below the contact details for each ICA provider for each part of the Greater Manchester Area:
Bolton
Voiceability
Telephone: 0300 303 1660
Email: helpline@voiceability.org
Website: https://www.voiceability.org
Address: Voiceability, c/o Sayer Vincent, Invicta House, 108-114 Golden Lane, London EC1Y 0TL
Bury
n-Compass Advocacy Hub
Telephone: 0300 3030 206
Email: referral@buryadvocacyhub.co.uk
Website: www.buryadvocacyhub.co.uk
Address: n-Compass Advocacy Hub, 1 Edward VIII Navigation Way, Ashton-On-Ribble, Preston, PR2 24F
Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale
Advocacy Together Hub Rochdale
Telephone: 01706 641389
Email: rochdaleadvocacy@together-uk.org
Website: www.together-uk.org/service-finder/advocacy-together-hub-rochdale/
Address: Advocacy Together Hub Rochdale, 144 Drake Street, Rochdale, OL16 1PS
Manchester
Voiceability
Telephone: 0300 303 1660
Email: helpline@voiceability.org
Website: https://www.voiceability.org
Address: Voiceability, c/o Sayer Vincent, Invicta House, 108-114 Golden Lane, London EC1Y 0TL
Oldham
Cloverleaf Advocacy
Telephone: 0300 012 4212
Email: NHSComplaints@cloverleaf-advocacy.co.uk
Website: www.cloverleaf-advocacy.co.uk/areas/oldham
Address: Cloverleaf Advocacy, 5th Floor, Empire House, Old Wakefield Road, Dewsbury, WF12 8DJ
Salford
Mind in Salford
Telephone: 0161 710 1070
Email: Advocacyhub@mindinsalford.org.uk
Address: Mind in Salford, The Angel Centre, 1 St Philips Place, Salford, M3 6FA
Stockport
Stockport Advocacy
Telephone: 0161 989 0029
Email: nhscas@stockportadvocacy.co.uk
Address: Stockport Advocacy, 48 Middle Hillgate, Stockport, SK1 3DL
Tameside
Voiceability
Telephone: 0300 303 1660
Email: helpline@voiceability.org
Website: https://www.voiceability.org
Address: Voiceability, c/o Sayer Vincent, Invicta House, 108-114 Golden Lane, London EC1Y 0TL
Trafford
Advocacy Focus
Telephone: 0300 323 0965
Email: admin@advocacyfocus.org.uk
Address: Advocacy Focus, First Floor, The Old Tannery Eastgate, Accrington, BB5 6PW
Wigan
Healthwatch Wigan and Leigh
Telephone: 01942 834 666
Email: Info@healthwatchwiganandleigh.co.uk
Address: Healthwatch Wigan and Leigh, Ashland House, Dobson Park Way, Ince In Makerfield, Wigan, WN2 2DX
You can also leave feedback and share your experience of health and social services in Greater Manchester by contacting your local Healthwatch. Further information can be found here.
If you need help with interpretation or translation, please contact us and we will point you to the relevant interpretation service.
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman are an independent decision maker and can investigate complaints which have completed the complaints process with an NHS organisation. More information about the Ombudsman and their role can be found on their website at the following links:
Complain to us: getting started | Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO)
You can read our Complaints Policy here.
NHS Greater Manchester does not hold patient records about the healthcare provided by the organisations we commission. Therefore, if you would like to request a copy of your medical records, you will need to contact the organisation responsible for delivering the care. If you would like a copy of your records that are held by NHS Greater Manchester, e.g. Continuing Healthcare records, Individual Funding Request applications or Patient Services records, you can make a request to our Information Governance team on gmhscp.icpsar@nhs.net
Information about Freedom of Information requests can be found on our ‘contact us‘ page.
Patient Services Team Contact Details
You can contact the Patient Services team:
- By email – patientservices@nhs.net
- By phone – 0161 271 3980, 9am-4pm Monday-Friday (excluding Bank Holidays)
- By post to – NHS Greater Manchester, The Tootal Buildings, 56 Oxford St, Manchester M1 6EU
