we would like to thank you very much for all your hard work dealing with our case, it was very much appreciated. We were glad that we held out and not took the first offer - it was well worth the wait.

How do I make a complaint about my treatment?

If you are unhappy with the medical care you have received you can make a complaint. Various schemes exist specifically to deal with complaints about GPs and hospitals. These schemes are in place to allow patients to raise concerns about the treatment they have received and to help them gain a satisfactory response. In some cases, these kinds of complaints can result in small amounts of compensation being paid, or apologies being made.

If you are not happy with the response at this stage, the next step is to request that an independent inquiry be carried out. The Independant Complaints Advocacy Service (ICAS) or the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) may be able to help you with this. If your complaint is more general then it should be referred to the Health Service Ombudsman.

If your complaint is more serious and there is evidence that the doctor treating you was not qualified to treat you properly (rather than your injury being a one-off mistake), the General Medical Council (GMC) may investigate your case. The GMC deals with disciplining doctors and identifying ones who may not be qualified or competent enough to practice medicine. Although the GMC cannot award compensation, many patients feel it is necessary to involve them to prevent the accident being repeated.

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