Online Complaints Portal
Keeping the NHS Honest are privileged to be invited to work alongside ‘Say So’, to help further our aim to record, progress and analyse concerns, complaints, suggestions and compliments in connection to the performance of the NHS.
As an independent and impartial 3rd party, ‘Say So’ have brought forward the opportunity for members and associates of ours to be able to raise their concerns and complaints through a new jointly-branded online reporting service.
Welcome to the dedicated pages for our amazing joint venture with ‘Say So’
What exactly is this new joint venture?
Together Keeping the NHS Honest and Say So, are launching an online service to record complaints, concerns or compliments from patients and staff, relating to the NHS. This service can securely accommodate anonymous, confidential or fully open matters, where the user feels they haven’t or won’t be listened to using the normal NHS complaints or concern raising processes. Each issue raised will be “sanitised” where necessary to prevent identification of the person raising the matter by deduction. Through the professional ‘Say So’ systems and protocols, all data is managed securely, providing confidence and peace of mind to all users.
What are the aims
The aim of this joint-venture is two-fold. We are aiming to support you all by providing a different pathway for you to record your issues, in a simple and intuitive way. Once the project is fully launched, it will allow the issues raised to be made accessible directly to relevant senior NHS leaders at the NHS Trust the concern relates to. This will allow issues to be investigated and resolved as quickly as possible. We will also utilise the power of data analysis that comes with the ‘Say So Sherlock’ system, to categorise and enable the analysis and presentation of big picture data. The output of which will enable compelling conclusions and arguments to be formed to ensure more significant and meaningful influence and change, based on the experiences of our Members and Associates. The service is able to provide the raiser of an issue with unique log in credentials which can be used later to update their concerns and receive feedback on the actions taken, even if the person raising it remains anonymous.
Who are ‘Say So’? Well, we asked them…..
"We are Paul and Shaun and we are the founders of Say So. We want to explain our motivation to protect the vulnerable, to ensure fairness and improve the working environment by the development of a trusted and impartial facility for reporting workplace concerns. Our background is complex investigations, standards checking, codes of practice compliance and quality assurance. We have experience of taking witness statements and conducting interviews to criminal law standards (the highest legal standard of proof 'beyond reasonable doubt'). In particular, we have significant experience of managing sensitive information (up to level of Top Secret) including associated security measures."
More about the Service being launched
This joint-venture has been possible due to the endeavours of Say So in producing a new affiliate branded entry point, to a specifically designed version of their ‘Sherlock’ system, where users are able to raise concerns, complaints, suggestions or compliments. The interface and dialogues have been produced together, to ensure that the system is fully tailored to meet the needs of patients and their families who feel an issue needs to be raised. Where a Complaint is being raised, in order for that to be dealt with effectively, the user will be required to fully identify themselves. The Service does include provision for concerns to be raised by NHS Staff. It is widely accepted that critical insights into concerns and improvements are just as important coming from staff as it is patients and their families. At KTNH, we want to support and encourage ALL concerns to be raised, no matter by whom. We encourage those staff wishing to highlight improvements, as this can only aid the accuracy and effectiveness of the conclusions derived from our data analysis. The aim, of course, is to improve patient care, safety and outcomes – therefore the most effective solutions and improvements will be produced from the widest data set available. Where a concern is raised by a member of NHS Staff, there will NOT be a requirement for the individual to be identified.
Who can use this new service?
Upon the initial launch of this new venture, Keeping the NHS Honest will be inviting a limited number of their membership scheme to be the first to be given access. We want to ensure that the process is trialled on a small cohort basis, and that both the system and Keeping the NHS Honest who will be managing it, are fully proficient and the process runs smoothly. Once the initial trials have been successful, the invitation to use the scheme will be widened to our Facebook group members. And finally, once fully operational, the aim is to be able to employ the full power of Sherlock, allowing live reporting of complaints as they are identified by patients and their families, with the system publishing them to the specific NHS Trust in question. We hope that at this stage we will be engaging with NHS Trusts, in identifying the appropriate Senior Point of Contact who will take receipt of the complaint being raised, and by able to take the appropriate next steps.
Disclaimer
By following the link below, to access the login page for the joint Keeping the NHS Honest (KTNH) / Say So Sherlock portal, the User is agreeing to the following terms and conditions of use:
The service being provided is being run and managed by KTNH, a group of volunteers who are dedicated to improvement in patients care, safety and outcomes within the NHS. The service is aimed at recording complaints and concerns, in order to understand the size, shape and complexities that are being faced, through the better use of wider, deeper and coordinated data from patients. Any complaint that is raised and made accessible to the NHS Trust, does not override the existing complaints processes for the NHS Trust concerned. The NHS are under no obligation to respond to matters raised through this platform.
As an organisation, KTNH, are not nor do they proclaim to be experts in either medical or legal matters. As such, any advice or guidance provided by KTNH or via the Say Sa Sherlock system, is deemed to be for information purposes only. No liability is implied or accepted for guidance provided. Data input into the Say So Sherlock system will be stored securely, in compliance with the current Data protection regulations. Data held in the system may be used for further processing and data analysis, to assist with the goals of KTNH, for the purposes stated above.
We are a strong believer in truth, honesty and accountability, which is a key driver for the formation of Keeping the NHS Honest. Therefore, it is fully expected and required that all data provided by users is deemed to be accurate and truthful to the best of their knowledge, at the time of data entry. Vexatious or repetitive submissions for the same issue, may lead to sanctions being placed on the User.
All measures and precautions have been taken to ensure data is both secure and will NOT be shared to any party outside of the joint venture (KTNH / Say So) or the specific NHS Trust about whom the concern has been raised. The only scenario where this may be deviated from, would be in the case of serious concern for welfare / safeguarding, where there is a risk of immediate significant harm. Under such circumstances, the Service reserves the right to report the matter to the Safeguarding Adults board, police or other emergency authority.
Accessing the new service
A specific link will take you to the Login page for our new affiliate version of Say So’s 'Sherlock' (their name for the software).
This link will appear below once the newly launched Service is made openly available to the general public. At present, 'Keeping the NHS Honest' are progressing through the first few stages of our roll out, and allowing access only to limited cohorts of members, through our membership scheme.
Further announcements will be made via all our social media channels, when the service becomes fully operational and open to all. Please keep a look out for future announcements via our socials, and the website for when this will be.
By following this link that will appear here in due course, you are agreeing to the Disclaimer notice above, and that the information you are providing is honest, truthful and correct to the best of your knowledge. We ask that you provide as much detail as you are able to. For ‘closed’ complaints, all the data will be fully utilised by Keeping the NHS Honest, to establish themes, patterns and frequency of complaints that we will be able to use to demonstrate where complaints are occurring, as well as the volume of complaints. The aim is to prove how much can be learnt, and how much improvement can be made by REALLY LISTENING to patients, and taking heed of what that are saying.
User Guide for Online Complaints Portal
Where do I go to start?
Firstly, follow the link to the Online Complaints Portal that you have been provided with. Currently the LINK is only being provided to a limited cohort of our members / associates, as we progress with a 'soft launch', to ensure a smooth and efficient roll-out. When you follow the link, above, you will land on the page as per below.
To start the reporting of your complaint – you will need to simply click on the blue dot / wording “Just make a Complaint”.
There are 3 further options that will be rolled out in the future – where users will be able to “Just raise a Concern”; “Just give a Compliment” as well as “Just make a Suggestion”.
What is the next stage?
Once you click on the “Just make a Complaint”, you will be taken to this screen – that will allow you to start detailing your complaint. This is Stage One – where you will be asked 5 key questions – that will provide you the opportunity to explain your complaint in detail.
For each question, you have sufficient space to write as much you feel necessary, the boxes will expand to accommodate your answers. You will be able amend the contents of the boxes at anytime during this process, until you are satisfied with the information you have provided.
Once you feel you have provided sufficient detail about your complaint, following the questions above – you are asked to decide what outcome you would like to have seen. Simply select one from the 3 options provided.
What comes next?
Stage 2:
When raising a complaint (rather than a concern, suggestion or compliment) you will be required to provide your name and contact details. These details during the soft launch will not be shared outside of this platform.
For Stage 3 – you are asked to confirm to consent to us holding your data – and that the information you have provided is accurate and done so in good faith.
Submitting your Complaint
Once you are happy with your answers and checked the declaration boxes – you are ready to submit your Complaint into the Portal. You do this by simply clicking on the Submit NOW button.
When you hover your mouse over the Submit NOW button, it will turn green, as noted here – ready for you to click and submit your complaint.
What happens then?
Once you submit your complaint, you will see this acknowledgment that your complaint has been raised and a confirmation sent.
Based on the contact details you provided, you will be sent an email from ‘Say So’ to your email address. This will provide you with details of how to go back into your complaint, should you decide you wish to make any amendments.
Please then check the email address you provided in your submission, and you will find an email, similar to this – that provides you with a unique username and password – only known to you. (Do check in spam folders if this doesn’t appear).
Once your Complaint has been submitted
The team from Keeping the NHS Honest will be carefully vetting the submissions to ensure completeness. Any further information required would be highlighted via email through the portal – and be received from a ‘Say So’ email. The Keeping the NHS Honest team will then ‘accept’ the complaint into the Portal, where it will go into the database to form our ‘evidence’ and allow us to analyse all the complaints for themes, categories and patterns.
When we vet each submission – we won’t be questioning or querying your complaint. We will simply be checking that it contains sufficient details; such as, the Trust / location have been provided; and potentially edit any obvious spelling or grammar mistakes (or expletives). We do have the facility to ask you for further information if something is missing, through the Portal itself – any such request will come via the Say So email address. The system does retain a permanent record of every step of the process – both before and after any amendments are made – allowing for full traceability and removing the opportunity for “losing” or “amending” with impunity.
If you have any questions or queries about submitting your Complaint – we have a dedicated email address for you to use. This email address will be monitored daily, and we hope to respond and help resolve any issues as quickly as possible. Please remember we are a voluntary organisation, and so occasionally responses my not be as quick as we would hope.
All queries should be sent to: Queries.KTNH@gmail.com
Disclaimer
By following the link below, to access the login page for the joint Keeping the NHS Honest (KTNH) / Say So Sherlock portal, the User is agreeing to the following terms and conditions of use: The service being provided is being run and managed by KTNH, a group of volunteers who are dedicated to improvement in patients care, safety and outcomes within the NHS. The service is aimed at recording complaints and concerns, in order to understand the size, shape and complexities that are being faced, through the better use of wider, deeper and coordinated data from patients. Any complaint that is raised and made accessible to the NHS Trust, does not override the existing complaints processes for the NHS Trust concerned. The NHS are under no obligation to respond to matters raised through this platform. As an organisation, KTNH, are not nor do they proclaim to be experts in either medical or legal matters. As such, any advice or guidance provided by KTNH or via the Say Sa Sherlock system, is deemed to be for information purposes only. No liability is implied or accepted for guidance provided. Data input into the Say So Sherlock system will be stored securely, in compliance with the current Data protection regulations. Data held in the system may be used for further processing and data analysis, to assist with the goals of KTNH, for the purposes stated above. We are a strong believer in truth, honesty and accountability, which is a key driver for the formation of Keeping the NHS Honest. Therefore, it is fully expected and required that all data provided by users is deemed to be accurate and truthful to the best of their knowledge, at the time of data entry. Vexatious or repetitive submissions for the same issue, may lead to sanctions being placed on the User. All measures and precautions have been taken to ensure data is both secure and will NOT be shared to any party outside of the joint venture (KTNH / Say So) or the specific NHS Trust about whom the concern has been raised. The only scenario where this may be deviated from, would be in the case of serious concern for welfare / safeguarding, where there is a risk of immediate significant harm. Under such circumstances, the Service reserves the right to report the matter to the Safeguarding Adults board, police or other emergency authority.