This leaflet has been produced to provide people with knowledge about their rights to complain to the CQC and how they are able to do this.
If you have a complaint about your treatment under the Mental Health Act you can ask the Care Quality Commission to help. The Commission is an independent body which makes sure that mental health law is used correctly and that patients are cared for properly while they are kept in hospital or are on guardianship or on supervised community treatment.
You can write to them at:
Care Quality Commission
Citygate
Gallowgate
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 4PA
Telephone: 03000 61 61 61
Website: www.
You can contact the Commission while you are still being kept in hospital or on guardianship or on supervised community treatment. But you can also contact them later, if you want to.
Commissioners visit hospitals regularly to meet patients and check that they are being treated properly under the Mental Health Act. If you are in hospital when a Commissioner visits, you can speak to them then. The ward manager can tell you the date of the next visit.
You may find that your complaint can be sorted out sooner if you raise it first with the people responsible for your care. They can also give you information about the local
If you are unsure about your care or treatment, staff can help.
Staff or a carer can also support you to read this leaflet. They will be able to answer any questions that you have. You can ask for another copy for someone else.
You can talk to a staff member or use the contacts listed below. See other ways to give feedback.
Your Voice
You can use this email to tell us what you think about your care. This can be good or bad. You can also ask us to tell you what happens after you send feedback.
Email: yourvoice
Comments and complaints
If something went wrong, please tell us. This will help us improve services.
Email: complaints
Telephone: 0191 245 6672
Write to: Complaints Department, Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust, St Nicholas Hospital, Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE3 3XT.
Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
PALS offer a free, confidential service. They can help if you are worried about your care. They support patients, families and carers.
PALS North of Tyne
(services in Newcastle, North Tyneside, Northumberland and North Cumbria)
Email: pals
Telephone: 0800 032 0202
PALS South of Tyne
(services in Sunderland, Gateshead, South Tyneside and Lotus Ward, Middlesbrough)
Email: pals
Telephone: 0800 328 4397
You can get more information about this leaflet from the Patient Information Centre. This includes how the leaflet was made. We can provide this leaflet in other formats. These include Braille, audio, large print, Easy Read, British Sign Language, and other languages.
We welcome your feedback about this leaflet. You can email pic
Published by the Patient Information Centre
2026 Copyright: Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust
Ref: PIC/216/0526 May 2026 V8
Review date 2027
Website: www.