ICA stands for Independent Complaints Advocacy. We can help if you feel you have not had the service you expect from the National Health Service (NHS) and want to complain. When your health care is provided by the NHS you are allowed to make a complaint using the NHS complaints process. An NHS complaint might include something that happened during care or treatment at:
- the hospital
- your General Practitioner (GP)
- the dentist
- the pharmacist
- the optician
- an NHS funded care home.
What is ICA?
ICA is Independent Complaints Advocacy. ICA provides practical support and information to people who want to make an NHS complaint. This might mean giving information so you can pursue a complaint by yourself or giving you the support of an experienced worker who can help you to make your complaint.
In this area ICA is provided by the Carers Federation. We have directly supported over 32,000 people to make an NHS complaint in the last 15 years.
How does advocacy work?
ICA uses advocacy to help people to make their complaint.
Advocacy is a system that uses experienced workers to help people speak up for themselves and represent their own thoughts and feelings when things are difficult.
Our specially trained and experienced staff are known as Advocates.
Because advocacy is about helping people to speak up for themselves, an ICAAdvocate will not tell you what to do or act on the wishes of others.
Our Advocates are qualified and have many years of experience working within the NHS complaints process.
Meeting your needs
ICA can adapt the way we communicate with you depending upon your needs This might include any of the following:
- using an interpreter or translator
- using alternative formats for written correspondence including larger prints, audio, or braille
- using British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters
- We can also supply our current information in different languages. If you have needs, please let us know what these are, and we will do our best to meet them.
What next?
You can get in touch:
- if you want more information
- if you want a Self-Help Information Pack to help you make a complaint, or
- if you want an Advocate to help you make an NHS complaint
When are we open?
Mon-Fri 9am–5pm
North East NHS ICA Aidan House Sunderland Road Gateshead NE8 3HU
Contact us
Phone: 0808 802 3000
Email: ica@carersfederation.co.uk find us on Facebook.