How to complain about an NHS waiting time
Four steps, each one stronger than the last. Most waits that have gone wrong are fixed at the first or second step, and you lose nothing by starting there.
| Step | Who | When | What to say | What it can achieve |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Ask | The consultant's secretary or the booking team | Any time | "Where am I on the list, is my referral marked routine or urgent, and when do you expect to see me?" | Often the quickest fix: a cancellation slot, or a correction to a lost referral. |
| 2 PALS | The hospital's Patient Advice and Liaison Service | When asking has not worked, or you are anxious and want help | "I have waited [n] weeks with no date. Please find out what is happening and whether I can be seen sooner or moved elsewhere." | PALS is informal and usually answers within days. It is not a complaint; nothing is recorded against anyone. |
| 3 Formal complaint | The hospital's complaints team, or the integrated care board that funds the care | Within 12 months of the problem, or of you becoming aware of it | "I am making a formal complaint under the NHS complaints procedure about my wait for [treatment]. I want [a date, a move to another provider, an explanation]." | Must be acknowledged within 3 working days and investigated; you get a written response with what was found and what will change. |
| 4 Ombudsman | The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman | After the complaint response, if you are not satisfied | "Send the complaint, the response, and what you want put right." | Independent review. The ombudsman can recommend an apology, an explanation, a change in practice, or a payment. |
Before you write: three facts that strengthen a complaint
- Your dates. The date of referral, any appointment, and today. The 18-week standard runs from the referral. Work out your weeks here.
- The hospital's own figures. How long people were actually waiting for your specialty at your hospital last month, and which nearby hospital was quicker. Every hospital page on this site shows both; quote them.
- What you want. A date, a move to another provider, an urgent review, or an explanation. A complaint that asks for something specific gets a specific answer.
A letter you can adapt
Dear Complaints Team,
I am writing to make a formal complaint under the NHS complaints procedure about my wait for [treatment or appointment] at [hospital]. I was referred on [date] and have now waited [n] weeks. I have no appointment or treatment date. [Say what has happened: for example, I was told in [month] that I would be seen within [x] weeks.]
The 18-week referral to treatment standard has been exceeded. I would like [a date within the next 8 weeks, or a transfer to another provider that can treat me sooner, including an independent provider under an NHS contract].
Please acknowledge this complaint within 3 working days and tell me how it will be investigated and when I will receive a response.
Yours faithfully,
[name], [date of birth], [NHS number if known]
Who else can help
- An NHS complaints advocate. Free, independent, and available in every area through your local council's advocacy service. They help you write and pursue the complaint.
- Healthwatch. Your local Healthwatch cannot take up your case but records patterns and can point you to the right advocate.
- Your MP. Only the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman needs no MP referral for health complaints; but an MP's office can chase a trust that has gone quiet.
Sources: NHS: how to complain to the NHS; the Local Authority Social Services and NHS Complaints (England) Regulations 2009 (time limits, acknowledgement within 3 working days); Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman. Last checked 14 October 2026. Not legal advice.