Complaint FAQs
Find answers to common questions about raising a concern or making a formal complaint.
We welcome feedback to help us improve our services. Raising a concern or making a complaint will never affect your care or treatment.
PALS provides advice, support and informal resolution of concerns. A complaint is a formal process that involves investigation and a written response from the Trust.
No. Raising a concern or making a complaint will not affect your current or future care or treatment.
Yes. We may need to obtain consent before sharing confidential information.
No. You can make a formal complaint at any time. However, many concerns can be resolved more quickly through PALS or by speaking directly with the service involved.
Yes. Independent NHS Complaints Advocacy services can provide free and impartial support throughout the complaints process.
- The Advocacy People
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Phone: 0300 440 9000
Email: info@theadvocacypeople.org.uk
Website: The Advocacy People website
Post: PO Box 375, Hastings, East Sussex, TN34 9HU
- The Devon Advocacy Consortium
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Phone: 01392 822377
Email: devonadvocacy@disabilitytogether.org.uk
Website: Disability Together website
Post: Living Options Devon, Units 3-4 Cranmere Court, Lustleigh Close, Matford Business Park, Exeter, EX2 8PW
The time needed will depend on the complexity of your concerns. We will advise you of this when your complaint is acknowledged.
The complaints process is not suitable for urgent medical problems or concerns that require immediate attention. If you have an urgent concern about your health, treatment or care:
- Speak directly to the clinical team responsible for your care.
- Contact your GP practice.
- Call NHS 111 for urgent medical advice when it is not a life-threatening emergency.
- Call 999 immediately if you or someone else is experiencing a life-threatening emergency.
For concerns that do not require an immediate response, our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) may be able to help resolve matters quickly and informally before a formal complaint is needed.
Yes. However, if you are expecting to receive a response, we will be unable to do this without your contact details. Please be aware that all our enquiries and complaints are treated confidentially.
After completing the Trust’s complaints process, you may ask the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman to independently review your complaint
From 1 April 2026, the handling of all Adult Social Care complaints will return to Torbay Council. This change follows a review of the current arrangements and reflects the commitment to providing a more responsive, consistent, and person-centred experience.
The Feedback and Engagement Team at Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust will be redirecting all Adult Social Care complaints to infocompliance@torbay.gov.uk from this date forward.
From 1 April 2026, the handling of all new Children and Family Health Devon (CFHD) complaints that relate to care experiences after this date will transfer to Devon Partnership NHS Trust. For care experiences that occurred prior to 1 April 2026, these will continue to be managed by Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust. This change follows a change of service to a single provider model.
The Feedback and Engagement Team at Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust will be redirecting all Children’s Family Health Devon complaints to dpt.pet@nhs.net when necessary.