COMPLAINT

INTRODUCTION

• We regularly review and seek opportunities to consult and engage with patients to ensure that the methods used remain effective and provide reliable and representative results; therefore, we highly encourage and welcome feedback in order to efficiently improve quality of services provided to our patients. 
• We also make sure that your registration, care, treatment, or support will not be affected by any complaint or feedback stated appropriately.

TO BE NOTED..

• Complaints are accepted via e-mail, hand-written, phone call, or in-person with relevant information. (Example: Name of Patient/NHS Number, Precise/ Elaborated Incident, Date of Incident, Time of Incident, Name of Complainant, and Name of Complainee, if relevant).
• If you are making a complaint on behalf of someone else, please mention in your complaint that you have permission to do so in order to ensure patient confidentiality. A note signed by the person concerned will be required, unless they are incapable of providing due to illness or disability.
• Complainants may be current or former patients, or their nominated or elected representatives (who have been given consent to act on the patients behalf).
• The complaint will be acknowledged any letter or Complaints Form within 3 working days of receiving it. The Matter will be dealt as promptly as possible – usually within 20 working days – depending on the nature of the complaint.

WHO CAN COMPLAIN?

• Patients over the age of 16 whose mental capacity is unimpaired should normally complain themselves or authorize 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.

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.

1. If possible offer an apology, where this is appropriate.
2. Identify what we could do to prevent the problem from occurring again.

WHOM TO COMPLAIN?

• In the first instance, we suggest you to discuss complaint with a member of staff at reception and the reception manager.
• If you regard the issue remained to be unsolved, then we recommend you to address an email to the Complaints Manager at [email protected] or you can now make your complaint using our online Complaints Form as well.
• If you regard the issue has still remained unsolved, then we recommend you to contact the Practice Manager at [email protected].

WHEN TO COMPLAIN?

• If your complaint requires immediate attention, we advise you to speak to our member of staff via phone call or in-person, as soon as possible. If not, please email a formal complaint which will be acknowledged within three working days.
• If you are unable to raise your complaint immediately, please give the details of your complaint within 12 months of the incident that caused the problem, or within 12 months from when the complaint come to your notice.
• The regulations state that a responsible body should only consider a complaint after this time limit if the complainant has a good reason for doing so, and if it is still possible to investigate the complaint fairly and effectively, despite the delay.

HOW DO WE DEAL WITH THE COMPLAINT?

We have a two stage complaints procedure. We will always try to deal with your complaint quickly however if it is clear that the matter will need a detailed investigation, we will notify you and then keep you updated on our progress.

Stage one – Early, local resolution

• We will try to resolve your complaint within five working days if possible.
• If you are dissatisfied with our response, you can ask us to escalate your complaint to Stage Two.

Stage Two – Investigation

• We will look at your complaint at this stage if you are dissatisfied with our response at Stage One.
• We also escalate some complaints straight to this stage, if it is clear that they are complex or need detailed investigation.
• We will acknowledge your complaint within 3 working days and we will give you our decision as soon as possible. This will be no more that 20 working days unless there is clearly a good reason for needing more time to respond.

However!!

Depending on the gravity of complaint, we will require to meet with you to discuss your complaint, agree with you how your complaint will be fully investigated and let you know when this will be completed. When we investigate your complaint we aim to:

1. Establish the full circumstances of your complaint.
2. Make arrangements for you to discuss the problem with whoever is concerned.
3. If possible offer an apology, where this is appropriate.
4. Identify what we could do to prevent the problem occurring again.

Confidentiality

• All complaints will be treated in the strictest confidence.
• Where the investigation of the complaint requires consideration of the patient’s medical records, we will inform the patient or person acting on his/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.
• 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.

ARE YOU A NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING PERSON?

Interpreting Service

We can arrange for a meeting with the Complaints Manager and the Practice Manager and an Interpreter for any patient whose first language is not English and needs help with their complaint.

IF YOU WANT TO TAKE IT FURTHER..

Depending on the gravity of complaint, we will require to meet with you to discuss your complaint, agree with you how your complaint will be fully investigated and let you know when this will be completed. When we investigate your complaint we aim to:

• South East London Integrated Care Board (SEL ICB):

From 1st of July, 2023, complaints or concerns about a GP is received by the SEL ICB. if a person wants to make a complaint about primary care services to the commissioner they should now contact their local integrated Care Board instead of NHS England. 

• Patients Advice &Liaison Service (PALS):

PALS is a confidential service that provides information advice and support for patients, families and carers. To support this, the patient experience team will, where possible and appropriate, liaise with staff who have direct contact with patients, their families and carers, providing help and information regarding inquiries or concerns.

For further inquiries or if you are concerned but don’t want to make a complaint you can call PALS on Freephone 0800 328 9712 or land-line 020 8176 5337.

The phone lines have an answering service so messages can be left at any time and we will endeavour to respond to your query within five working days, alternatively you can email: [email protected]

If you are at our surgery, please ask at Reception for our leaflet about our complaints system, or you can alternatively download or view our policy as show below.

• NHS Complaints Advocacy Service (POhWER):

POhWER is a national service that supports people who want to make a complaint about their NHS Care or treatment.

They offer free direct and local support via Professionals and Volunteers. POhWER reaches individuals struggling with particular challenges in their lives, and help make their voices be heard. POhWER can support and empower you to express your views and concerns and access information and services where needed.

You can contact POhWER on 0300 456 2370 

• Parliamentary & Health Service Ombudsman

If, after receiving our final decision, you remain dissatisfied you may take your complaint to the Ombudsman.

The Ombudsman is independent of the NHS and free to use. It can help resolve your complaint, and tell the NHS how to put things right if it has got them wrong.

The Ombudsman only has legal powers to investigate certain complaints. You must have received a final response from the Practice before the Ombudsman can look at your complaint and it will generally not look into your complaint if it happened more than 12 months ago, unless there are exceptional circumstances.

Address:

Parliamentary & Health Service Ombudsman
Tower 30
Millbank
London SW1P 4QP

Phone: 0345 015 4033

E: email the Ombudsman 

However, before considering taking this step, we hope you would let us know what aspect of the complaint has not been dealt with satisfactorily and provide an opportunity for us to consider whether there is anything further that could be done locally to resolve matters.