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 Solihull Mental Health Foundation Trust - Trust HQ


Absolutely Awful

I first became ill 27 years ago and have basically been given pills and told to go away Thanks to this lot I have the settled expectation of dying in the MH system. Had they done their job properly, I would still be in work instead of being early retired due to mental ill- health. All that they bother with is asking when I am going to do voluntary work- which is code for asking me when I am going to get a job. Precisely just how much extra tax do they want me to pay? Then the occupational therapist said that going somewhere and making gift bags would help me " give back" to society. He could not answer when I told him that I have a clean criminal record and as I pay tax on my occupational pension, I do not welcome being made " busy" and that I will do what I want to do, all perfectly legal, when I want to do it. Even going to the local MHT results in a complaint on every visit. On one occasion, I was told to use the men's toilet as the ladies was filthy and the cleaner, who apparently is paid to clean the toilet, refused to do. However, when I pointed out that the NHS is legally bound to provide single- sex spaces, nobody could answer me. The only reason that I attend my appointments is for authorisation of my meds. In other words, to get my drugs. And I really hope that this Trust is proud of what they have turned me into.