NEW: Total Triage Appointment System

From 24th February there will be a new appointment system. All appointments and other requests will have to be submitted via the ‘contact us online’ link and banner on the website homepage. Your request will be triaged to the right clinician or service. This aims to reduce waiting times and improve your experience.

Complaints

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 like the matter to be settled as quickly, and as amicably, as possible.

Interpreting Services and Support

We can arrange to involve a suitable Interpreter for any patient whose first language is not English and needs help with their complaint.  They can also seek support via Advocacy for All as detailed below.

How to make a compliment or complaint

Whether you are happy or unhappy with the care and treatment that you have received, please get in touch and let us know your views.

Receiving compliments and complaints is important to ensuring good quality local healthcare in our Practice – helping us to find out more about what we’re getting right and what we can improve.

We hope this will help you to make your feelings and experiences known to the appropriate people. Should you have a complaint we hope this page will give you more information about what to do, who to contact and what happens next.

How do I raise a concern / informal complaint?

We operate a two stage process for complaints or issues. You can speak to a member of staff initially with your complaint which gives you the opportunity to resolve any concern you may have without it going through a formal written process.  Initial verbal complaints should be raised with or directed to the Practice Manager Rita De Oliveira who is usually based at our main surgery site at 57 Manor Road. Where appropriate Rita will refer the complaint on to others involved including clinicians, and also where required to the GP partners.  If this does not resolve the matter please see below.

Complaints Policy

Please see attached our current policy for details on how to raise a formal complaint and the full process we will follow.  (Please contact the Practice should you require this document in a format other than PDF). We would prefer you use the form on our website to raise your complaint if its required in writing and you have been unable to resolve the matter verbally in stage 1 as detailed above.  It is helpful to collect and submit the initial information required using our Complaints Form.

Who can complain

  • Complainants may be current or former patients, or their nominated or elected representatives (who have been given consent to act on the patients behalf). Please ensure you include written signed consent where this may be required and if you wish us to respond to you directly when you are not the patient.
  • Patients over the age of 16 whose mental capacity is unimpaired should normally complain themselves or authorise someone to bring a complaint on their behalf.
  • Children under the age of 16 can also make their own complaint, if they’re able to do so.

If a patient lacks capacity to make decisions, their representative must be able to demonstrate sufficient interest in the patient’s welfare and be an appropriate person to act on their behalf. This could be a partner, relative or someone appointed under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 with lasting power of attorney.

Appropriate person

In certain circumstances, we need to check that a representative is the appropriate person to make a complaint.

  • For example, if the complaint involves a child, we must satisfy ourselves that there are reasonable grounds for the representative to complain, rather than the child concerned.
  • If the patient is a child or a patient who lacks capacity, we must also be satisfied that the representative is acting in the patient’s best interests.

If we are not satisfied that the representative is an appropriate person we will not consider the complaint, and will give the representative the reasons for our decision in writing.

Time limits

A complaint must be made within 12 months, either from the date of the incident or from when the complainant first knew about it.

The regulations state that a responsible body should only consider a complaint after this time limit if:

  • the complainant has good reason for doing so, and
  • it’s still possible to investigate the complaint fairly and effectively, despite the delay.

Complaints Advocacy Service

The Advocacy for All  web site provides details on how to contact the service. There is also further information in our complaints policy, and you can read more about what an Advocate is and how they can help.

Confidentiality

All complaints will be treated in the strictest confidence.

We keep a record of all complaints and copies of all correspondence relating to complaints, but such records will be kept separate from patients’ medical records.

Statistics and reporting

The Practice is required to submit to the local primary care organisation periodically/at agreed intervals details of the number and type of complaints received and actioned.