Although we strive to provide the best service possible there may be times when you feel this has not happened. If you have any complaint about the service that you have received from the doctors or staff working for this practice, then you are entitled to ask for an explanation. The practice operates a Complaints Procedure as part of the NHS system for dealing with complaints which meets national criteria.
In the current pandemic, we ask you consider priorities the Surgery may have, an example is waiting on the phone. This will be the case whilst we ensure our 11,000 adults get both of their Covid Vaccinations.
We hope that most problems can be sorted out easily and quickly, preferably at the time they arise and with the person concerned. When the issue cannot be resolved at this stage, please E Mail the Surgery [email protected] or write to the surgery. State the exact nature of your complaint and ask for it to be forwarded to the Practice Manager. Based on demand, it will not be possible to just phone and demand to speak to the Manager. Upon receipt you will receive an acknowledgment and an investigation will commence. The Practice Manager will try to resolve the issue.
Having taken this step, your notification becomes a formal complaint.
What we shall do?
The practice shall acknowledge your complaint within three working days and aim to have looked into it within 21 working days of the date you raised it with us. At this stage you should be offered an explanation or a meeting with the person(s) involved. When the practice looks into your complaint it aims to:
- Ascertain the full circumstances of the complaint
- Make sure you receive an apology where this is appropriate.
- Identify what we can to make sure the problem does not happen again.
Complaining on behalf of someone else
Weensure strict adherence to the rules of medical confidentiality. If you are complaining on behalf of someone else, the practice will need to have their written permission for you to do so. A note signed by the person concerned will be required unless they are incapable of providing this due to illness or disability.
The practice management team hope that if you have a problem you will use the practice complaints procedure.
Should you feel you cannot raise your complaint with us, or you are dissatisfied with the response, you may contact any of the following:
NHS Complaints Advocacy Services, England
NHS Advocacy services can support you and talk you through the complaints procedure, helping with the correspondence and attending meetings. Services are based in each local council area.
To find your local service you can call them on 0300 330 5454.
POhWER (Independent Complaints and Advocacy Service – ICAS)
This is a national service that supports people who want to make a complaint about their NHS care of treatment. Further information can be found at:
Phone: 0300 456 2370
Minicom: 0300 456 2364
Fax: 0845 337 3050
Email: [email protected] www.pohwer.net
Write: PO Box 14043, Birmingham B6 9BL
NHS England
Phone: 0300 311 22 33
Email: [email protected]
Write: PO Box 16738, Redditch B97 9PT
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
If you are not happy with the response you have received about your complaint, you can refer it to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman who investigates complaints about the NHS in England. You can call the Ombudsman’s Complaints Helpline on:
Helpline: 0345 015 4033
Textphone (Minicom): 0300 061 4298
Fax: 0300 061 4000
Email: [email protected]