Health Watchdogs
If you are looking for information about the NHS and its organisations, or free help or advice about a problem you have encountered with the NHS, then please visit the Board of Welsh Community Health Councils site at www.patienthelp.wales.nhs.uk
Community Health Councils (CHCs) are the only statutory lay organisations with rights to information about, access to, and consultation with all NHS organisations.
In April 2004 - The Association of Welsh Community Health Councils became a statutory body known as 'The Board of Community Health Councils in Wales'. At the same time, CHCs were given additional powers to monitor all primary care services and to visit the premises of GPs, dentists, pharmacists and opticians, as well as private hospitals and care homes.
The Welsh Assembly Government is encouraging NHS organisations to involve patients and the public in decisions about delivery and development of health care and CHCs have been empowered to monitor how it is being done and, if necessary, to help.
Making suggestions and complaints
Do you have suggestions about how we can provide a better service? Your suggestions, compliments or complaints will help us to improve the services we offer. Please download our leaflet Making suggestions and complaints for more information.
Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (HIW)
Healthcare Inspectorate Wales’s (HIW) core responsibility is to provide independent assurance about the quality and safety of NHS and independent healthcare organisations in Wales against a range of standards, policies, guidance and regulations and to highlight areas requiring improvement. HIW also undertakes special reviews where there may be systemic failures in delivering healthcare services to ensure that improvement and learning takes place.
Public Services Ombudsman for Wales
The Public Service Ombudsman for Wales looks into complaints made by or on behalf of people who have suffered because of unsatisfactory treatment or service by the National Health Service (NHS). The Public Service Ombudsman for Wales is completely independent of the NHS and the government. The services of the Public Service Ombudsman for Wales are free.
For further information please visit the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales website.
The Wales Concordat
The Concordat Between Bodies Inspecting, Regulating and Auditing Health and Social Care in Wales is a voluntary agreement that was signed in May 2005. Signatories to the Concordat have agreed to work together to eliminate unnecessary burdens of external review, and to deliver more targeted and co-ordinated inspection that is proportionate to the level of risk and supports the improvement of services for patients, service users and their carers.
Related Links: