Suggestions, Comments and Complaints
Our aim is to provide the highest level of care for all our patients. We will always be willing to hear if there is any way that you think that we can improve the service we provide. If you would like to give us any feedback or wish to make a complaint, please complete our Feedback and Complaints Triage.
Making a Complaint
We make every effort to give the best service possible to everyone who attends our practice. However, we are aware that things can go wrong resulting in a patient feeling that they have a genuine cause for complaint. If this is so we would wish for the matter to be settled as quickly and as amicable as possible. To pursue a complaint, please contact the practice manager using our Contact the Practice form, who will deal with the concerns appropriately.
We hope that most problems can be sorted out easily and quickly, often at the time they arise and with the person concerned. If your problem cannot be sorted out in this way and you wish to make a complaint, we would like you to let us know as soon as possible – ideally within a matter of days or at most a few weeks – because this will enable us to establish what happened more easily. If it is not possible to do that, please let us have details of your complaint:
- Within 6 months of the incident that caused the problem; or
- Within 6 months of discovering that you have a problem, provided that is within 12 months of the incident.
The practice manager will be pleased to deal with any complaint. She will explain the procedure to you and make sure that your concerns are dealt with promptly. You can make your complaint:
- In person – ask to speak to the practice manager
- In writing – some complaints may be easier to explain in writing. Please give as much information as can, then send your complaint to the practice for the attention of the practice manager as soon as possible
What we Shall do
Our complaints procedure is designed to make sure that we settle any complaints as quickly as possible.
We shall acknowledge your complaint within 3 working days and aim to have looked into your complaint within 10 working days of the date when you raised it with us. We shall then be in a position to offer you an explanation, or a meeting with the people involved.
When we look into your complaint, we shall aim to:
- Find out what happened and what went wrong
- Make it possible for you to discuss the problem with those concerned, if you would like this
- Make sure you receive an apology, where appropriate
- Identify what we can do to make sure the problem doesn’t happen again
At the end of the investigation your complaint will be discussed with you in detail, either in person or in writing.
Complaining on Behalf of Someone Else
Please note that we keep strictly to the rules of medical confidentiality. If you are complaining on behalf of someone else, we have to know that you have his or her permission to do so. A note signed by the person concerned will be needed, unless they are incapable (because of illness) of providing this.
What You Can Do Next
We hope that, if you have a problem, you will use our practice complaints procedure. We believe that this will give us the best chance of putting right whatever has gone wrong and the opportunity to improve our practice.
Finally, if you remain dissatisfied with the response to your complaint you may contact the Health Service Ombudsman on telephone number 0345 015 4033 (local standard rate).
Help us Get it Right
We constantly try to improve the service we offer.
Please let us know when you think we have done something well or if you have any suggestions as to how we can do something better.