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

Good Hope Hospital


No follow ups or blood tests

Long covid gave me an overactive thyroid and I was referred to an endocrinologist. Eventually, in June last year after waiting about a year, I had phone appointment with the endocrinologist which my career supported me with. He did agree that I have hypothyroidism due to long covid. I'm on medication but I was supposed to have a follow-up appointment to months later and I am still on the waiting list. I have not had any blood tests for any reason including to check my thyroid levels since June, which is almost a year ago. I feel as though I have just been left to get on with things myself and basically to rot. Nobody cares about me whatsoever in the medical profession. They make you feel like you are exaggerating or a nuisance. When you have many severe physical and mental health conditions as well as being autistic you already feel like you are a nuisance. It does not help your mental well-being when you feel disregarded and disbelieved.