We are always pleased to receive suggestions, which would improve patient care or feedback/complements on things that we are doing well. You can do this via our ‘contact us’ page.
Making a complaint
If you have any complaints or concerns about the service that you have received from the doctors or staff working for this practice, please let us know.
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.
Valerie Hinds ( 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 Valerie Hinds
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 Valerie Hinds 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 25 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.
If after receiving a reply you remain dissatisfied, you may appeal to the Information Commissioner. Details of how to do this will be supplied with our reply.