This page explains how you can raise your concerns if you feel that you have not received a satisfactory service from us. Complaints and feedback can help us to improve our services. You should never have any concern that a complaint may adversely affect your care in future – it will not.
How to Complain
The time constraint on bringing a complaint is 12 months from the occurrence giving rise to the complaint, or 12 months from the time you become aware of the matter about which you wish to complain.
The Operations Manager will aim to acknowledge complaints within three business days.
We aim to investigate and provide you with the findings as soon as we can and will provide updates regarding the investigation of your complaint.
This Practice has a Patient Complaint Form and Third Party Complaint Form you may wish to use. There are paper copies available at Reception and in the waiting areas.
The NHS complaints procedure does not apply, and cannot be used if you are taking legal action. The NHS complaints procedure cannot offer financial compensation.
Informal Complaints
Most complaints can be resolved informally. Please speak to a member of staff if you have a complaint; our staff is trained to handle complaints.
Formal Complaints
Please post or hand your written complaint to our Reception staff. Please be as specific as possible and include your contact details – name, address, phone number and date of birth.
Third Party Complaints (complaining on behalf of someone else)
You can complain on behalf of someone else provided you have their written consent. Please complete the Practice’s Third Party Complaint Form to submit your complaint to the Practice.
Local Resolution
If for any reason you do not want to speak to a member of our staff, then you can request that NHS England investigates your complaint.
Their contact details are:
NHS England
PO BOX 16738
Redditch
B97 9PT
03003 112 233
[email protected]
If you prefer, you may address your complaint to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO). You can also contact independent conciliation/advocacy services. Please refer to the Practice’s Complaints Leaflet for more information.
If you choose not to complain directly to the Practice, please be aware of the following:
NHS England ask us to advise you that any communication you may have with them may be shared with Northamptonshire Clinical Commissioning Group.
Your complaint to NHS England should include:
- Your name and address and an email address if possible
- A clear description of your complaint
- Copies of any earlier correspondence with NHS England
- Any valid correspondence case reference numbers
Our Complaints Process
After your complaint is written, you will receive an acknowledgment within 3 working days from receipt of the complaint by the Practice.
Any complaint you make will be investigated and you will receive a written response from the Practice as to the outcomes of the investigations and, where appropriate, the steps taken to ensure the situation does not reoccur.
We aim to reply within 10 working days, depending on the nature of the complaint and the investigation that needs to be carried out. Where other parties are involved, you will be kept informed as to the steps being taken to obtain their statements.
If considered appropriate by all parties, you may be invited to discuss the matter with the Operations Manager and, where appropriate, one or more of the Doctors.
Conciliation
As part of local resolution, there is a conciliation service to help resolve complaints. This gives complainants and any parties implicated in the complaint an opportunity to have an independent person, a lay conciliator, involved in resolving their complaint.
Conciliators are not employed by the practice or professionally involved in health services, but they are trained and experienced in resolving complaints.
Contact details for an independent conciliation service are overleaf.
Afterwards, if you are still not happy with the response you receive, you can ask for an independent review of your complaint by contacting the Healthcare Service Ombudsman.
Who to contact for further help or information
Advocacy support
POhWER support centre can be contacted via 0300 456 2370
Advocacy People gives advocacy support on 0330 440 9000
Age UK on 0800 055 6112
Your Local Council can also give advice on local advocacy services
Independent conciliation
VoiceAbility
Unit 1
The Old Granary
Westwick
Oakington
Cambridge
CB24 3AR
0300 303 1660
Other contact methods can be found at:
https://www.voiceability.org/about-us/contact-us