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

The Vesey Practice


I left the GP surgery

I have got post covid syndrome which has caused fibromyalgia and has also increased my osteoarthritis pain and caused joint pain. Last year I spoke to my GP about this as this had been going on for two years and I have become completely housebound. Because I am autistic I have a monotone voice as well as not many facial expressions. I already explained this. The GP put in his notes that I sounded well and I could speak in complete sentences. They sent an occupational therapist and that man had been told by my GP that I had been in a fibromyalgia flare for two months. Not that I had been suffering with long covid symptoms for two years. There was nothing he was able to do to help support because I am already doing everything to help myself. I stopped contacting my doctor so surgery because I have been used to medical gas lighting for many years. It was the final straw. But I have now left that GP surgery and gone elsewhere to a doctor who knew me in the past and who does believe me and who has actually given me diagnoses and support.