Frequently asked questions

If racism or bullying or discrimination in your workplace or place of education and training is affecting you or your service users, the GSLT is here to help you. All employers and universities have a responsibility to listen and respond. Take these steps to raise your concerns:

Refer to your local HR or school policies and procedures. They will outline what you should do.
If your concern is about patient care, refer to local service policies.
Refer to the GSLT’s guidance on best practice and meeting the standards set by the AHPC.
Refer to the AHPC standards.
Raise your concern with the appropriate person – eg a dedicated officer dealing with racism and discrimination, or your line manager.
If you think your concerns are not being taken seriously or investigated appropriately, involve the 'GSLT freedom to speak up guardian'.
If your concerns are about an AHPC registrant, you can contact the AHPC directly to raise concerns.
If you are a student and your concern is about a placement, raise your concerns immediately so that you can be supported. Do not wait until after the placement has ended, even if you don’t want any action to be taken during your placement. If your concern is about a member of NSS staff, raise your concerns immediately.
If you are a student, you can raise concerns (relating to placement) through your placement provider, academic adviser, personal tutor, programme lead, student support administrator or student services. If you need support when attending meetings, the placement body or the institution you have been posted to should have equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) staff available. If you are unsure of what to do, you can go to the placement body, National Service Secretariat (NSS), or student union for advice.
The GSLT has always had a dedicated enquiries line. Members (and students who are not members) can call us to raise concerns or seek advice if the approaches above haven’t worked. Email info@ghaslt.org or WhatsApp 059 467 4939 for help.

I am not happy with treatment I have received. How can I make a complaint about a service?

If you are not happy with the treatment that you have received, the following general points should help you to identify where you can access information and support.

How do I make a complaint to my local service?

Nearly all health, education and social services bodies (eg. PCTs, hospitals, local authorities, schools, voluntary organisations) have local complaints policies and procedures which explain what to do if you want to make a complaint. Should you wish to pursue a complaint, your first step should be to submit a complaint in accordance with these procedures. Most complaints can be successfully resolved at a local level. The best way to find out how to do so is to ask, but the following points may be of assistance:

Complaints about MoH treatment

All MoH/NHS bodies have established in-house complaints procedures which should be followed as a first step towards resolving your complaint. The hospital, school or health service may offer to bring in conciliation services to help resolve the complaint.

If your complaint is still not resolved to your satisfaction, you can complain to the National Health Service Secretariat (Tel: to be updated).

In certain cases, patients may wish to pursue legal action. The charity, Action for Victims (Tel: to be updated) can put you in touch with a solicitor with medical negligence expertise.

Further details about complaints procedures can be found on the following web pages:
- MoH/NHS complaints procedure explained
- Health and Social Care in Ghana
- MoH/NHS Patient Advice and Liaison Services

Complaints about services provided by other public sector organisations

Some services may be provided by other public sector providers, for example local authorities and/or schools. In such cases, you should ask for the local complaints procedure and follow it carefully if you want to make a complaint.

If you are not happy with the outcome of the complaint, ask for information about the appeals process.

There may be local services that can offer advice.

Complaints about private treatment and services provided by voluntary organisations (charities)

All voluntary organisations, private hospitals and clinics are likely to have their own complaints procedure. You should ask for a copy of their complaints procedure and follow it carefully if you want to make a complaint.

If your complaint is not resolved to your satisfaction by the independent healthcare provider itself, you can complain to the Care Quality Commission (Tel: to be updated).

Complaints about an individual speech and language therapist

If your complaint relates to an individual speech and language therapist, who works for an MoH/NHS body, another public sector or an independent healthcare provider, you can complain to that organisation in the same way as described above.

You can also complain to the Health Service Secretariat if you are unhappy with the outcome of a local MoH/NHS complaints procedure or to the Care Quality Commission with respect to a complaint made to an independent healthcare provider.

In addition:

Independent therapists

If the therapist is a member of the Ghana Association of Speech and Language Therapists (GSLT), you can raise an immediate concern with this organisation.

An initial concern against a GSLT member can often be resolved by prompt, thorough, local and informal conciliation before it is logged as a formal complaint. Members of the GSLT Executive are willing to act as intermediaries (as would an NHS manager in the public sector) to help resolve concerns. As a first step, a complainant approaching GSLT with an initial concern will be offered this conciliation facility.

If conciliation fails, or if either party is unwilling to attempt conciliation, then the complainant will be advised to submit a formal complaint to the secretary of GSLT in writing. Complaints should normally be made within six months of the incident or the time it was discovered.

Health and Care Professions Council

If you are still not satisfied with the outcome of the local complaints procedures or the GSLT conciliation complaints/processes, then you may wish to refer your complaint to the Allied Health Professions Council (AHPC), which is a regulatory body for speech and language therapists.

Please note that the GSLT is a supportive-regulatory body that provides leadership, support and mediation for speech and language therapists.

This information does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon as a substitute for specific advice on the particular circumstances of a case.

Make a Complaint

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