Location: Quality and Risk Management Department, 5th Floor, General Wing, KEMH
Mail: Patient Relations Office, Bermuda Hospitals Board, PO Box HM 1023, Hamilton HM DX
8:30am to 4:30pm Monday to Friday
Tel: (441) 239-1425 Email: feedback@bhb.bm
Page the nursing supervisor outside office hours by calling (441) 236-2345
The Patient Relations Office is here to help ensure your experience at the Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB) is a good one. We are a resource for patients and their families, including those who may have concerns regarding their experiences at our hospitals and clinics.
BHB’s goal is to offer safe, high-quality, compassionate care to all of our patients. If at any time we do not meet the standards you expect, please tell us. We strive to find positive solutions for patients and their families as quickly and efficiently as possible. We listen and respond to verbal and written patient concerns, make recommendations, and track trends in the type of feedback we receive to make improvements in care.
The best and quickest way to resolve an issue as a patient or relative is to raise it at the time or as soon as possible afterward. We encourage you to discuss your concerns while you are still in hospital. Speaking up will improve your experience at BHB. It will not compromise your care.
When to contact the Patient Relations Office
- When you have general questions or would like information about BHB services
- When you want to give us your ideas or suggestions
- When you want to know more about your rights or legal obligations
- When you have concerns or grievances about services or interactions with BHB staff or physicians
Whether you have a compliment, a complaint or a suggestion, we’d like to hear your feedback.
What we can do for you and your family
- Listen and be supportive
- Explain processes and what you can expect from the hospital and the doctors
- Help everyone communicate better with each other – you, your family members, our staff and our doctors
- Respond to your concerns and help to sort out issues and problems
- Work with you and members of your healthcare team to help you evaluate your options
- Ensure your feedback is shared with your healthcare team
What to do if you have a concern or complaint
If you or a family member has a question, concern or complaint about your hospital stay, we suggest you first discuss it with your nurse, your doctor and the department or unit manager. Your healthcare team will gather the information, follow up with the appropriate individuals or departments, and attempt to resolve the issue and agree on a way forward that prevents it from occurring again.
If your issue remains unresolved, the Patient Relations Office is available to help you reach a resolution or provide more information. We are here to support and assist you through your experience at the hospital.
If you have questions or concerns about your care, please talk to:
- Your nurse, doctor or any member of your care team
- The manager or nurse in charge of your unit
- The Patient Relations Office
If you are uncomfortable speaking directly with your care team first, you can contact the Patient Relations Office directly.
Please note that if you are a friend or relative raising concerns on behalf of a patient, we will seek consent, where possible, from the patient before discussing their care with you.
What do you want to occur as a result of your complaint?
Before you make a complaint, think about what you want to happen as a result. For example, you may want:
- an apology
- someone to explain what has happened
- changes or improvements to be made
- to make sure people recognise their mistakes
- to make sure the same thing does not happen again
How we will address and respond to your complaint
We take all complaints very seriously. Accepting and resolving complaints gives us the opportunity to improve our services to you and the community. Your complaint may help prevent the same issue happening to someone else in the future.
You will be contacted within 48 hours of receipt of your complaint to get a clear understanding of the issues involved and determine any outcomes you would like to see as a result of what happened to you or your loved one. We will then investigate your complaint with the necessary stakeholders and get back to you with a progress report within 10 business days of receiving the complaint. Should your complaint require further resolution and follow up, please allow 20 business days for investigation and resolution.
What comes from our discussions with you
The issues you bring to our attention don’t get ‘filed away’ and forgotten. We work with physicians and senior managers to improve your experience at BHB. We’ll work towards change wherever possible and reasonable.