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.

Your reply

* Required fields

Original feedback for

Royal Orthopaedic Hospital


Waited 5 hours for an interpreter

Attended ROH as a day case patient, had already requested a BSL interpreter prior to appointment. Arrived to be told no interpreter had been booked., waited 5 hours for interpreter to arrive who stayed 10 mins and left. I was left to communicate via my advocate for rest of stay. Staff did not remove mask to talk to me. I felt embarrassed for myself. I also made a complain to PALs who dismissed my complaint and failed to offer any support or advice. All the appointments I have is a guessing game as to whether I will get an interpreter and even them they don’t seem to stay past an hour. This leaves me either cancelling or on my own.