If we are not the right people to talk to (for example, because your case does not meet the criteria for referral to us for investigation), or you need some support, this list includes other organisations that may be able to help.
Support after an incident during childbirth
Campaign for Safer Births
The Campaign for Safer Births works to improve NHS maternity services in order to reduce the avoidable deaths and injuries of babies and mothers during labour.
Peeps
Peeps is a charity that provides support to parents, families and friends of those affected by Hypoxic-Ischaemic Encephalopathy (HIE).
Support after a bereavement
Child Death Helpline
A confidential helpline which opens every day of the year and can accept calls in any language through use of their telephone interpreting service.
Cruse Bereavement Support
Cruse Bereavement Support offer support, advice and information to children, young people and adults after someone dies. It also works to enhance society’s care of bereaved people.
Sands
Sands supports anyone who has been affected by the death of a baby before, during or shortly after birth. Services include a Helpline for parents, families, carers and health professionals, a UK-wide network of support groups, an online forum and a range of resources available online and in print.
Widowed and Young
Widowed and Young (WAY) offers a unique peer-to-peer support network to anyone whose partner died when they were young.
General support and advice
Action against Medical Accidents
Action against Medical Accidents (AvMA) is the UK charity for patient safety and justice.
It provides free independent advice and support to people affected by medical accidents (lapses in patient safety) through a specialist helpline, written casework and inquest support services. AvMA works in partnership with health professionals, the NHS, government departments, lawyers and patients to improve patient safety and justice.
British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)
The BACP offer information about different types of counselling and how to choose a counsellor. There is an online search facility to find a registered professional counsellor in a specific area.
INQUEST
INQUEST is a small charity that provides free advice to people bereaved by a death in custody and detention and is entirely independent of government.
The charity provides specialist advice on deaths in custody or detention, or involving state failures in England and Wales. This includes a death that has occurred in psychiatric care and cases that involve multi-agency failings and raise wider issues of state and corporate accountability.
VoiceAbility
VoiceAbility offers a free and independent advocacy and user involvement service to support people who face disadvantage or discrimination. They support people to speak up and have their rights and choices respected
Feedback and complaints
Integrated care boards
Integrated care boards (ICBs) commission most of the hospital and community NHS services in the local areas for which they are responsible. You can raise a complaint with your local ICB. Find contact details for your local ICB on the NHS website.
NHS England
You can give feedback or make a complaint about a provider or a service to NHS England. This website includes information about accessing advocacy services and support for those with a learning disability.
Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) makes final decisions on complaints that have not been resolved by the NHS in England, UK government departments and other public organisations. More information can be found on the PHSO website.
Patient Advice and Liaison Service
The Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) offers confidential advice, support and information on health-related matters. It provides a point of contact for patients, their families and their carers. Officers from PALS are present in hospitals. Find your local PALS team on the NHS website.