While AI tools can be useful for organising your thoughts, they can sometimes produce information that is overly complex, lengthy, or includes inaccurate medical terminology and legal language.

This can make it more difficult for us to understand the issues that matter most to you and may delay our ability to investigate your concerns effectively.

We would like to reassure you that you do not need to use legal language, technical terms, or lengthy documents for us to take your concerns seriously. What matters most is understanding your experience and the issues you would like us to look into.

We encourage you to tell us about your experience in your own words. Clear and straightforward information about what happened, when it happened, and how it affected you is often the most helpful way for us to understand your concerns.

This helps us focus our investigation on the issues that are important to you and ensures that our response is personal, meaningful, and centred on your experience.

Support to raise a concern or complaint

If you would like support to raise a concern or complaint, the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) or a member of the Patient Experience team can help:

We can discuss your concerns with you by telephone or arrange a meeting where appropriate, helping to clarify the issues you would like us to consider.

You may also wish to seek independent support from an NHS complaints advocacy service, which can provide advice and assistance with making a complaint.

If you choose to use AI

If you choose to use AI, please:

  • keep the focus on your own experience, including what happened, when it happened, and how it affected you

  • use clear, plain English and avoid unnecessary legal or medical terminology

  • check that the information is accurate, relevant and reflects your own views and experiencer

  • review the complaint to ensure it clearly explains your concerns and what you would like us to understand or investigate.

Example prompts you may find helpful

Prompt 1: Organising what happened

I need to explain what happened on [date] when [describe the situation]. Here are the details: [insert facts and circumstances]. Please help me organise this information into a clear timeline showing what happened and in what order.

Prompt 2: Describing my concerns

I would like to explain the concerns I have about my care or experience. Here are the details: [list specific concerns]. Please help me present these clearly and factually without making assumptions or adding information.

Prompt 3: Writing in plain language

Help me describe what happened in clear and simple language. Here are the details: [describe what happened, who was involved, and when it occurred]. Please keep the wording straightforward and in my own voice.

Prompt 4: Explaining the impact

Help me explain how this experience affected me. Here are the details: [describe the impact on your health, wellbeing, work, family life, finances, or other areas]. Please help me clearly connect these impacts to the issues I have raised.

Prompt 5: Drafting a complaint

Rewrite the information below as a clear and polite complaint. Use only the information I have provided. Do not add new facts or assumptions. Keep the complaint concise and professional, and include a closing paragraph explaining how I would like the matter to be resolved.