Right to Respond

As part of our commitment to providing an honest and transparent view of health and social care services, Healthwatch Birmingham encourages providers to respond to comments the public have left.

Alongside ensuring providers can have a fair say in discussions about their services, replying to reviews demonstrates evidence of responding to patient feedback for the CQC, who regularly monitor our Feedback Centre. It is also an effective way to recruit service users for any wider engagement work at your organisation.

Guidelines for provider responses:

  • Keep language appropriate and civil
  • Remain professional and treat people’s comments fairly
  • Engage with the content of the review by addressing specific points and avoid cut and pasting a standard response
  • Don’t disclose the service user’s personal details or any potentially identifying information
  • Where appropriate leave organisational contact details e.g PALS or patient engagement teams for people to get further information

Remember: your response will be seen by everyone who uses the Feedback Centre, not just the original reviewer. All responses are moderated in accordance with our moderation policy.

For full terms and conditions, including a guide to how right to reply works for service providers download this guide.

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Original feedback for

Royal Orthopaedic Hospital


Unprofessional staff

My Son has a urgent 2 week referral for spinal fractures. Nearly 3 weeks later the bookings office staff tell us he is still in triage system and now to ring back on the 7th November to see if consultant has looked at his referral for appointment. His GP has contacted them again for his appointment to be expedited and again they sarcastically tell you it's still waiting to be reviewed. 3 spinal fractures and a bookings office clerk I feel is holding back his referral because we have called. They do not give you any time scale when a Dr will be triaging his referral. Its frankly alarming. Unable to contact Pals through telephone. Always answer machine. Today I am writing to chief executive.