We encourage all of our patients, their carers or relatives to speak up if they have been dissatisfied with the standard of care in our Trust. You should tell a member of staff as soon as you are aware of the problem. With most concerns an explanation and reassurance can be provided straight away and any issues resolved. If you don’t feel comfortable doing this you can contact our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS).
Anyone who is receiving treatment or has received NHS treatment can complain and if you feel your treatment is affected due to raising a concern you should again contact the Complaints Manager. If you are unable to complain yourself you can ask a friend or relative to make the complaint for you. This will require your consent to enable us to take the matter forward, for us to liaise with any other provider involved and to respond to the person making the complaint on your behalf.
It is important that you make your complaint as soon as possible after the event you wish to complain about, but generally under the NHS Complaints Procedure it is only possible to investigate complaints made:
Within 12 months of the event or
Within 12 months of you realising you have something to complain about.
What will happen after I’ve complained?
If we cannot resolve your concern immediately we will acknowledge your concern or complaint within 3 working days. A contact number will be provided to give you the opportunity to ring and discuss your concerns. A thorough and fair investigation will then be carried out and we aim to provide a written response from the Chief Executive within 25 working days. If this timescale cannot be met then we will contact you with an explanation.
It is important to the Trust that we do all we can to resolve your complaint. If you are still dissatisfied after receiving the Chief Executive’s response, the opportunity is there for you to contact the Complaints Service who will be happy to go through the options with you. This may result in further correspondence from us, or a meeting.
If you’re not happy with our final response to your complaint and would like to take the matter further, you can contact the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman. The Ombudsman makes final decisions on complaints that have not been resolved by the NHS, government departments and some other public organisations. The service is free for everyone. To take a complaint to the Ombudsman, go to www.ombudsman.org.uk/making-complaint or call the helpline 0345 015 4033. It is important you make your complaint as soon as you receive our final response as there are time limits for the Ombudsman to look into complaints.
Back
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON BLOOD TESTING DUE TO COVID-19
Shielding Patients in very high risk for COVID Group
All people who have been identified as very high risk (requiring shielding) for COVID are in the process of being contacted by their clinician regarding their ongoing care. If you require a blood test whilst shielding as part of your care, appointment details including when and where your blood test will be carried out will be sent to you via a text message from SwiftQueue who manage our blood test bookings.
If you have regular blood tests and have been asked to have these, please ensure you have blood forms at home available; if you haven’t please contact your specialty to have some sent to you in advance of your blood tests.
Older People and Vulnerable Adults
People who are in the groups identified by the government as higher risk e.g are over 70 or receive a yearly flu jab, but are not in the very high risk (requiring shielding) group, can attend our normal blood test clinics. The blood test clinics and waiting areas have been adapted so that social distancing can be maintained.
Please check the locations on the map below.
Click on the map for information about phlebotomy clinics in Coventry. You can book an appointment online at the locations in red.
Please book an appointment before attending for a blood test. Click on the ‘Book Online’ button above. Booking an appointment helps patients, their carers and family members to plan their hospital visit better, helping to reduce clinic waiting times and enabling patients to be seen much more quickly.
Location: Outpatients Department, on the ground floor. Opening hours: 8am-4.45pm, Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays).
Children under 16 years old will need to book online here.
Please book an appointment before attending for a blood test, click on the ‘Book Online’ button above. Patients from Rugby and the surrounding areas are able to access the Friends Blood Taking Unit at the Hospital of St Cross.
Referrals for blood tests can be from GP's, practice nurses or from hospital consultants. Patients are also able to leave other samples, such as urine, which have been collected at home, at the hospital's Pathology Reception.
Location: Near Brookfield House, just off North Road - map here. Opening hours: The blood taking clinic sessions for adults and children are listed below:
Monday -Friday 7am-4:45pm Appointment only
Wednesday Evening 5pm-7pm Suspended due to COVID
Saturday Morning 7am-10pm Suspended due to COVID
April 2020 NEW - This Clinic is now by appointment. Please book an appointment before attending for a blood test. Click on the ‘Book Online’ button above.
Address: Stoney Stanton Road, Coventry CV1 4FS Location: Access is via the main doors, the Phlebotomy team are in Area A. Opening hours: Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays). 8am–4.45pm
Glucose Tolerance Test (GTT)
Specialist Tests - There are a small number of specialist tests where blood needs to be taken on a hospital site as the sample must be transferred to the laboratory rapidly for the test to be undertaken. Click here for a list of these specialist tests and to find out more.