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Complaints procedure
If you have any suggestions or complaints about the practice, these should be
made in writing to our Practice Manager, Practice Administrator.or, if you prefer,
complaints may be addressed to your doctor.
Further details about the complaints procedure are outlined below.
If you have a complaint or concern about the service you have received from the
practice, please let us know. We operate a practice complaints procedure as part
of a NHS system for dealing with complaints. Our complaints system has been developed
in line with national criteria.
How to complain
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 few days - 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 this is within
12 months of the incident
Written complaints
We would ask that, where possible, you make your complaint in writing, giving
us as much information as you can. If the complaint is about a specific incident,
please give as much information as possible:
- describe what happened
- who was involved
- when the incident happened
- where the incident happened
If the complaint is about a particular issue or procedure, you should also
write with as much information as you are able to give. Complaints should be addressed
to the Practice Manager who is responsible for ensuring that the practice complaints
procedure is followed. In her absence, complaints will be administered by the
Practice Administrator. If you prefer, you may address your complaint to any of
the Doctors in the Practice.
Verbal complaints
If you do not wish to make your complaint in writing, you should, where possible,
raise it with the person concerned at the time. Alternatively, you may raise your
complaint with any member of the practice staff. The member of staff will ask
you for some details about your complaint, and will fill in a Contact Sheet.
The staff member may not be able to answer your complaint, but will ensure that
details are passed immediately (the same day) to the Practice Manager or her nominated
deputy. Alternatively, you may ask for an appointment with her or one of the Doctors
to discuss your concerns.
She will explain the complaints procedure to you and will make sure that your
concerns are dealt with promptly. It will be a great help if you are as specific
as possible about your complaint.
What we will do
- We will acknowledge your complaint in writing within 2 working days
- We will aim to look into your complaint within 10 working days of the date
when you raised it with us
- We will then offer you an explanation, including details of any action to
be taken by the practice, or invite you to attend a meeting with the people involved
- If we have not been able to establish sufficient information within 10 working
days, we will contact you in any case to inform you that we are continuing to
look into the problem - we will write to you again within a further 10 days, offering
an explanation.
When we look into your complaint, we will aim to:
- Find out what happened
- Make it possible for you to discuss the issue with those concerned, if you
wish
- Make sure you receive an explanation of what happened, and an apology where
appropriate
- Identify areas to be addressed by the practice, and take any corrective action
if necessary
What we ask You to do
We will ask you in the letter of response to notify the practice that you accept
the outcome of the complaint, or otherwise, stating your further requirements.
We will assume that the outcome of the complaint is satisfactory should we not
receive a reply within 28 days.
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 their
permission to do so. A note signed by the person concerned will be needed, unless
they are incapable (because of illness) of providing this.
Complaining to the Health Authority
We hope that, if you have a problem, you will use our practice complaints procedure.
We believe that this will give us the best chance of improving our services to
patients. 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, you should contact:
The Complaints Manager or The Chief Executive
East Lancashire Health Authority
31/33 Kenyon Rd
Lomeshaye Estate Nelson
Lancashire 889 SSZ
Tel. No.01282 619909
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