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

Birmingham and Midland Eye Centre (BMEC)


BSL Interpreters longer appointments needed.

Being born deaf and relying on a BSL Interpreter to help with communication in hospital is stressful. I as an outpatient in eye hospital now have 3 appointments in 1, with waiting periods between : Reading Eye Test Field vision test Seeing a consultant A BSL interpreter is booked for 2 hr session. Time does run out forcing the interpreter, on behalf of me, to remind and hurry nurses for the next test to take in time for consultancy. Last time my interpreter was only booked for less than 1 hr and had to leave on time for next appointment. When with consultant I felt under pressure to rush through - thus not satisfied afterwards. Not fair as the consultancy was the most important of all appointments. I have accepted three appointments in one go as I live long way (travel by bus, or taxi if I have to be there by 9am) and don’t wish for 2 day trips! To be fair the consultant was aware of the problem and apologized for NHS!