A short overview to your rights as an NHS patient with intimate healthcare needs.
The government is committed to giving patients greater choice and control over how they receive their health care, and to empowering patients to shape and manage their own health and care in England. This framework sets out some of the choices available to you in the NHS. It explains:
*Information sourced directly from gov.uk, content published 29th April 2016.
Patient rights to health services are contained within the NHS Constitution. View the NHS Constitution here.
You have the right to collect, or have delivered to your home, any medical product that has been prescribed to you from any dispensing contractor or pharmacy you choose.
If you have been a user of a Coloplast medical device and you're comfortable with your product and the service you've been provided so far but you've been told by your GP, nurse of Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) that you can no longer receive the product and will be given an alternative then you have a number of options available.
Your options differ based on your local NHS provider:
There is an NHS procedure to follow including ensuring that the complaint is relevant and timely. NHS England has produced some guidance:
NHS England complaints process
You can find more detail on the complaints process and what to expect here - https://www.gov.uk/complaints-process
If you are unhappy with the care or treatment you receive from the health service in Northern Ireland, you have the right to complain. Your complaint is confidential.
NHS Northern Ireland complaints process
Health service complaints managers can provide you with more information on how to make a complaint.
You can also contact the Patient and Client Council. They give free and confidential advice, information and help to make a complaint.
Under Feedback and Complaints in the Charter of Patient Rights and Responsibilities, you have the right to:
NHS Scotland complaints process
Help with complaints
Contact your local Patient Advice & Support Service (PASS) for independent advice and help with complaints.
Contact your Health Board's Concerns Team
NHS Wales follow a complaints process known as ‘Putting Things Right’. Each Local Health Board and NHS Trust has their own concern’s team.
The concerns team can support you in raising your issue with the service responsible for your treatment. You can find contact details for the team in your area on your Health Board’s website.
NHS Wales complaints process
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