Your Right to Complain

Who can complain?
Anyone who is not satisfied with the quality of care service at any public or private health care facility can lodge a complaint.



To whom can complaints be made?
The Customer Relations Officer, located at the public hospital is responsible for handling complaints.

If you have a complaint about services at the Public Health Centre, you can contact the Primary Care Quality Coordinator at the Quality Department of the Regional Health Authority.

If the complaint is about service received at a Private, Hospital or Nursing Home – contact the office of the Chief Medical Officer at the Ministry of Health. (627-0010/0012).

ALL COMPLAINTS ARE TREATED WITH THE STRICTEST CONFIDENCE. THE CUSTOMER RELATIONS OFFICER SECURELY KEEPS THE RECORDS FOR INVESTIGATION.




How to Lodge Your Complaint?

There are three ways to lodge a complaint:

• By telephone
• In person
• In writing to the Customer Relations Officer / Representative

The Customer Relations Officer at the Quality Improvement Department will investigate the complaint and you will be informed of the outcome.

If you are not satisfied with the outcome of the investigation, the Customer Relations Officer will forward your complaint to the Quality Coordinator of the facility for resolution.




Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have a right to complain about poor health/service care?
Absolutely! You have a right to complain. The Patient’s Charter of Rights and Obligations clearly states that you have a right to file a complaint when you consider your rights infringed.

Should I go directly to the Ministry of Health to complain?
If you go directly to the Ministry to lodge a complaint about the service you received at public health facility, the complaint would be referred to the RHA for investigation and you may have to wait for a longer period to have your complaint resolved.

Will I be victimized if I lodge a complaint?
No. Health professionals are mandated and regulated by code of ethics which prohibit the abuse of patients / clients.

How long will it take before I receive a response about my complaint?
Most verbal complaints receive immediate acknowledgement. For a written complaint you would receive an acknowledgement within two working days. Depending on the nature of the investigation you could also expect a report within seven working days.


Why should I even bother to complain?  Nothing would change.
We view complaints as a valuable source of information that can tell us about the quality of care and services we provide. Your feedback would help us identify areas of weaknesses and make improvements to the system.




Submitting Suggestion and Comments

Suggestion Boxes are strategically placed throughout public health facilities so that you can tell us how you feel about the service you received. We also welcome your suggestions on ways of improving our services.




How to contact your Customer Relations Officer

South West Regional Health Authority
San Fernando General Hospital
652-3581 ext. 246

Eastern Regional Health Authority
Sangre Grande Regional Hospital
668-2468

Tobago Regional Health Authority
Scarborough Regional Hospital
639-2551 ext. 188

North Central Regional Health Authority
Eric Williams Medical Science Complex
645-2640 ext. 2030
Mt. Hope Women’s Hospital

North West Regional Health Authority
St. Ann’s Psychiatric Hospital
624-1151/3127
Port of Spain General Hospital
625-3622

Ministry of Health
625-0961
suggestions@health.gov.tt