who should I address me compliant letter to at hospital?

[mckenzie]

I received a letter about 10 days ago asking me to call a particular dept at the hospital to make an appointment for DD immediately. I was given a direct telephone number to use and told that if I got the answer phone I could always leave a message and someone would call me back. I must have called them 50 times in the last 10 days and left about 5 messages. Nobody has called me back. I have also tried the main switchboard number but the telephone has never been answered.
Today I asked my doctor's surgery receptionist if she could help as i was concerned that if they didn't hear from me they would assume I no longer needed the referal.
The outcome is that the number I was given is no longer in use and hasn't been for ages yet it's the number still in the hospital's directory and is the number that i would still have been put through to if the switchboard had actually answered.

Now that i've written it down to tell you it seems fairly petty to write a letter but it could be that no-one realises that they are still sending these letters out and this will cause other mums etc as much agro as it has caused me.

Shall i write the letter and if so, who shall i address it to?

TIA

terrible!!!!!
'my' letter and 'complaint'

I'm hanging my head in shame

I wouldn't write a letter but I would point it out when you go for the appointment

Hi - it's not at all petty. Write to the Chief Executive - either look up their name via the hospital's website, or just address it to the Chief Executive. They're obliged to respond with an acknowledgment very quickly, and then to investigate the complaint - make them work!

Call up and ask to speak to PALS - Patient Liaison Service. They will help you through complaints procedure.

thanks for the replies. I would call and us to speak to PALS spiker but they never answer the switchboard

No - don't go through PALs first - you want the Chief Exec to know you're pissed off - much more effective at getting a response!

certainly second dotty - go straight to the chief exec in writing. you'll get a prompt response.

we've had a problem with this in our region - they are cutting staff and theres not enough admin to answer the phone enquiries. i never get through on the switchboard but as i'm an nhs employee i tend to use the internal numbers and am more successful!