SHL Complaints Procedure

We are committed to providing safe, effective, and high‑quality services to all our users. We recognise that there may be occasions where our service does not meet expectations, and we welcome feedback and complaints as an opportunity to put things right and improve how we deliver our services. 

Complaints, Feedback and Compliments

SHL.uk welcomes feedback, compliments, and complaints from everyone who uses our service. Your views help us learn, improve, and ensure we are providing safe, high‑quality, and compassionate care.

Who We Are

SHL is delivered through a consortium of three healthcare partners, working closely together to provide the online sexual health service:

• Preventx
• Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
• Lloyd's Pharmacy Online Doctor

Although multiple organisations are involved, your feedback is handled through a single, coordinated SHL process, so you do not need to contact each organisation separately.

If Your Complaint Involves a Partner Clinic

SHL can only investigate complaints relating to the services provided through SHL by our consortia partners.  If your complaint relates to care or services provided by a local sexual health clinic, we are unable to investigate the complaint directly, as those organisations operate their own complaints procedures.

SHL will:

• Assist you by putting you in contact with the clinic within 3 working days

How To Tell Us About a Concern or Complaint

You can raise a concern or make a complaint in the way that feels most comfortable for you.

• Email: [email protected] or [email protected]
• Phone: 02033154515

If your feedback or complaint is received by any part of the SHL service or one of our partner organisations, it will be centrally coordinated by SHL, so you will always have one clear point of contact.

What Happens Next

• We will acknowledge your complaint within 3 working days
• Your complaint will be reviewed and logged centrally by the SHL Service Manager
• We will make sure your concerns are clearly understood and, where helpful, we may offer a phone call or discussion to clarify issues or de‑escalate concerns
• A full and coordinated investigation will take place, even if your complaint involves more than one organisation or a clinic
• You will receive a clear, compassionate, and written response that addresses all the issues you raised

We take a trauma‑informed approach, recognising that raising concerns can be difficult and that people’s experiences may affect how feedback is shared.

Senior Review and Oversight

All complaints are reviewed with appropriate senior clinical and managerial oversight.

• The SHL Service Manager is overseen by the SHL Clinical Lead
• Complaints themes, learning, and actions are reviewed at Clinical Governance meetings
• Complex, serious, or persistent concerns are escalated and reviewed by senior SHL clinical and service leadership
• Learning from complaints is shared across all consortium partners and used to improve services

This means every complaint is taken seriously and reviewed at senior level where appropriate, regardless of which part of the consortium was involved.

If You Are Not Happy With the Response

We aim to resolve concerns as openly and fairly as possible. If you are not satisfied with the outcome:

• You have the right to escalate your complaint to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman

We will provide you with information on how to do this if required.

Positive Feedback and Compliments

We also welcome compliments and positive feedback. These are shared with staff and partners to recognise good practice and improve morale across the service.

Accessibility and Support

We are committed to making it easy for everyone to raise feedback or concerns. Support and alternative formats are available for people with additional needs, including language or accessibility requirements.

Learning From Complaints

We view complaints as an important source of feedback and an opportunity to improve our services. All complaints are recorded, monitored and reviewed to identify trends, recurring issues and areas where we can improve the customer experience.

The lessons we learn from complaints help us to:

• Review and improve our processes and procedures
• Improve staff training and guidance
• Enhance our products and services
• Reduce the likelihood of similar issues occurring in the future

We are committed to using feedback constructively and continuously improving the quality of the services we provide.