Complaints Policy

 

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The doctors and staff at this practice are committed to providing high quality healthcare and services to patients.

If you have a suggestion, complaint or concern about the service you have received from the practice, please let us know. Any suggestions can be written down and handed to a member of staff.
We operate a complaints procedure as part of the NHS system for dealing with complaints. The practice complaints procedure meets national criteria.

 

How To Complain

It is best to tell a member of staff about any concerns or problems as soon as they arise and we will try and sort them out.

If you wish to make a complaint, please let us have details of your complaint as soon as possible so we can find out what happened. You can complete a complaints form, which can be downloaded from this site and hand it into the practice.  It helps us if you can give us as full details as possible.

Our staff will explain the complaints procedure to you and make sure that your concerns are dealt with promptly.

If you have a complaint and wish to discuss your concerns, you can ask to speak to the Practice Manager.

You need to make your complaint within 12 months of the incident that caused the problem OR within 12 months of discovering that you have a problem relating to a specific incident.

 

Complaining on behalf of someone else

Medical records are protected by the Data Protection Act 1998. If you are complaining on behalf of someone else we need to know that you have their permission to do so. A note signed by the person concerned will be needed unless they are incapable (e.g. due to illness) of providing this. You can download and use our third party consent form by clicking here.

 

What we will do

We will contact you about your complaint within three working days and offer to discuss with you the best way to investigate it, including the time scales for a reply. We will aim to :

  • Find out what happened and what went wrong.
  • Invite you to discuss the problem with those involved, if you would like this
  • Apologise where this is appropriate.
  • Identify what we can do to make sure that the problem does not happen again.

If you feel that the practice was unable to resolve your issues then you can get in contact with (NHS England), contact details below.

The practice undertakes a comprehensive annual survey and involves patients in discussing the results.

The Practice Manager is responsible for our in-house practice complaints procedure. An information leaflet is available in Reception. 

There is also a Patient Advocacy and Liaison Service (PALS)  who:

  • Provide information about local health services
  • Help resolve problems
  • Assist in accessing the complaints procedure
  • Receive comments, suggestions and compliments about local services
 

Useful Contacts

 

If you are not satisfied

If neither body helps resolve the issue, you have the right to approach the Ombudsman.

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
Millbank Tower
Millbank
London SW1P 4QP

Telephone -  0345 015 4033