We understand that making a complaint can be stressful at times, so we will do our best to sort out any problem as quickly and efficiently as possible. Most problems can be resolved quite easily, often at the time they arise and with the person(s) concerned and we ask you to try this first.
Where you are not able to resolve your complaint in this way and want to make a formal complaint, you should do so as soon as possible after the event, either verbally or in writing to any member of the practice team who will pass this onto the practice manager. This will help us to work out what happened more easily.
Any complaint should be made within 12 months of the incident or within 12 months of discovering the problem, giving as much detailed information as you can.
If you are a registered patient you can make a complaint about your own care. You cannot complain about someone else’s care without their written consent. In the case of a child this will depend upon the circumstances and an older child may still need to give permission to discuss events with you.
What to expect
We will generate a full response as soon as is reasonably possible. We will aim to acknowledge that we’ve received your complaint within 3 working days. Once we have received it, we will try to clarify what’s happened and why to see if there’s anything we can learn from this. After a full investigation you will receive a written response to your complaint as soon as is reasonably possible.
On occasion, you will be invited to attend the practice to discuss the matter with the practice manager and, where appropriate, one or more of the partners if we think this may help us understand what happened.
Complaining on behalf of someone else
We keep to the strict rules of medical and personal confidentiality.
If you wish to make a complaint but are not the patient involved, we will require the written consent of the patient. This is to confirm that they are unhappy with their treatment and that we can deal with someone else about it.
Please ask at reception for a complaints form which includes a statement of authority that the patient can sign. Where the patient is incapable of providing consent due to illness or accident, it may still be possible to deal with the complaint. Please provide the precise details of the circumstances which prevent this in your covering letter. Please note that we are unable to discuss any issue relating to someone else without their express permission, which must be in writing, unless the above circumstances apply.
Confidentiality
All complaints must be treated in the strictest confidence.
Where the investigation of the complaint requires consideration of the patient’s medical records, the practice manager must inform the patient or person acting on his or her behalf if the investigation will involve disclosure of information contained in those records to a person other than the practice or an employee of the practice.
The practice must keep a record of all complaints and copies of all correspondence relating to complaints but such records must be kept separate from the patient’s medical records.
The practice has an annual review of complaints received within the year and the learning issues or changes to procedures which have arisen are documented.