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

City Hospital


I went to A+E Ain the night for eye problem

I took my son to your hospital with a suspected acute glaucoma attack at approx 3;30 am on 5th September 14, we live in Acocks Green but because I knew you have an emergency eye clinic there which I thought was a 24 hour service, we went there rather than Heartlands. Only to find when we got there that it is closed overnight, we went to A+E expecting to be as big and busy at Heartlands to find it very very small, and after my son was seen by a triage nurse we wer told it would be a 2 and a half hour wait to see a doctor as they were covering the wards as well. I dont call that an acute emergency dept, as by this time after 5 hours my sons symptoms were wearing off anyway, we decided to leave and he is going to make an emergency appointment with his optician today, he left it as long as he could before seeking medical help anyway, but there is a strong family history of Glaucoma so he is a extreme risk anyway. and was advised by NHS direct to seek medical help as soon as possible. For a large acute hospital I find your dept pathetic.