Just to let you know I have received a lot of great feedback from your services in one of the patient groups I have attended this week! Patients had used your services and were very happy with your work ethic.

What is NHS Complaints Advocacy Service?

The National Health Service (NHS) works hard to ensure patients and their families receive good quality treatment and care and are satisfied with the service. However, occasionally things may not go as planned; and patients, their family or friends may be unclear about what to do to raise their concerns. This is when the NHS Complaints Advocacy Service can help.

The NHS Complaints Advocacy Service (NHS-CAS) aims to provide support to Newham residents who want to raise concerns or make a formal complaint about their experience with their NHS provider; including GP practices, hospitals, clinics, shelter accommodations and social care homes. In particular, the service aims to provide support to those who may not have the skills, knowledge or ability to make a complaint.

Who can make a complaint?

Anyone can make a complaint about any NHS funded service, in relation to the care and/or treatment they or someone they know received from the NHS in England. Complaints can also be made on behalf of a friend or family member, provided they have given their consent to do so.

If you are unsure whether the service you wish to complain about comes under the NHS-CAS Regulations, please contact your Local NHS Complaints Advocate.

I have just spent a good two hours reading and re-reading the complaint made on my behalf to the PHSO....what can I say?.....it's absolutely stunning, and extremely powerful. I am so lucky that you are acting as Advocate on my behalf, thank you.

Accessing the Service

Newham's NHS-CAS is a free, independent and confidential service available to Newham Residents.  From 1 October 2025, the service will be run by POhWER.

To contact POhWER:

  • download referral form from the Newham page on the POhWER website.
  • call 0300 456 2370 (charged at local rate)
  • email pohwer@pohwer.net
  • text the word Pohwer and your name and number to 81025
  • by post - write to POhWER, PO Box 17943, Birmingham, B9 9PR.

Open 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday.

Please note:
NHS-CAS is delivered by POhWER on behalf of Healthwatch Newham. Information provided by clients will be shared between POhWER and Healthwatch Newham for monitoring purposes. Information will not be shared with any third parties without your consent.

NHS-CAS may not be used to discipline NHS staff or to make a complaint about private healthcare or services that are funded by the Local Authorities. Private health services have their own complaints process.

A very BIG THANK YOU for all your support during these very sad time in my life.