Suggestions and Complaints
Practice Complaints Procedure
We try to give the best service possible at all times, but there may be occasions when you feel you wish to express dissatisfaction. Here we explain what to do if you have a complaint about the service we provide for you.
We operate a practice complaints procedure as part of a NHS system for dealing with complaints. Our complaints system meets national criteria.
How To Complain
We offer a practice procedure to deal with your complaint. We hope that you will use it to give us an opportunity of looking into any problems that have arisen or mistakes that you feel have been made. We would like you to let us know as soon as possible; ideally, within a matter of days because this will enable us to establish what happened more easily. (This procedure does not deal with matters concerning legal liability or compensation). If you wish to make a complaint please contact the practice manager, or any of the doctors, either in person, by telephone or letter.
What we then Do
Your complaint will then be thoroughly investigated. We shall acknowledge your complaint within two working days and aim to have looked into your complaint within ten 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:
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Find out what happened and what went wrong
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Make it possible for you to discuss the problem with those concerned, if you would like this
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Make sure you receive an apology, where appropriate
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Identify what we can do to make sure the problem doesn’t happen again.
Complaining On Behalf Of Someone Else
Please note that we have to respect our duty of confidentiality to our patients and therefore if you are complaining on behalf of someone else, his or her written consent will be required before we can discuss their case with you. This confidentiality also ensures that any personal details about your complaint will not be shared with anyone outside the practice unless express permission has been given by yourself.
Complaining to Care Quality Commission
You can also make a complaint to CQC whose job it is to check whether GP's are meeting national standards
CQC
Citygate
Gallowgate
Newcastle-Upon-Tyne
NE1 4PA.
telephone: 0300 0616161
email: enquiries@cqc.org.uk
Complaining To The Health Authority
We hope that, if you have a problem, you will use our practice complaints procedure. We believe this will give us the best chance of putting right whatever has gone wrong and an opportunity to improve our practice. This does not affect your right to approach the local health authority, if you feel you cannot raise your complaint with us or you are dissatisfied with the result of our investigation. For further help and advice you can contact
Patient Advice and Liaison Service
PALS manager
1&2 Doolittle Mill
Ampthill
MK45 2NX
01525 636882