SUGGESTIONS AND COMPLAINTS
Your complaint or concern
If you have a complaint or concern about the service you have received from the doctors, or any of the staff working in this practice, please let us know. We operate a practice complaints procedure as part of the NHS system that meets national criteria for dealing with complaints.
How to complain
We hope most problems can be sorted out easily and quickly, preferably 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. This will enable us to establish more easily what happened . If it is not possible to do that, please let us have details of your complaint:
Within twelve months of the incident that caused the problem; or within twelve months of you becoming aware of the matter.
Complaints should be addressed to the practice manager, Mr Andy Botcher, in the first instance. Forms on which you can describe your complaint are available from reception. Alternatively, you may ask for an appointment with the practice manager to discuss your concerns. She will explain the complaints procedure to you and make sure your concerns are dealt with promptly. It will be a great help if you are as specific as possible about your complaint.
What we shall do
We will acknowledge your complaint within three working days. A full investigation will then take place and we shall aim to:
• Find out what happened and why
• Make it possible for you to discuss the problem with those concerned, if you would like to do this
• Make sure you receive a full explanation and apology, if appropriate
• Identify what we can do to make sure the problem does not happen again, if appropriate
There is no end date by which you must receive a response but you will be updated regularly on the progress of the investigation.
The results of the investigation will be put in writing and sent to the complainant.
If the complainant is not satisfied with the results of the internal investigation they will be invited to attend the surgery, with a friend if he/she wishes, to discuss the complaint and the findings of the internal investigation.
Written confirmation of the outcome of the meeting will be sent to the complainant.
If the complaint remains unresolved the complainant will be informed of his/her right to pursue the complaint via the Parliamentary Health Service Ombudsman.
Their contact details are:
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
Millbank Tower
30 Millbank London
SW1P 4QP
Tel: 0345 0154033
Where necessary the practice will consider any internal action required to ensure a similar incident does not occur in the future.
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 written note signed by the person concerned will be needed (unless they are incapable because of illness of providing this).
PALS (NHS Suffolk)
We hope that, if you have a problem, you will use the Practice Complaints Procedure. We believe this will give both parties the best chance of putting right whatever has gone wrong and an opportunity to improve practice procedures. This does not affect your right to approach the local PALS if you feel you cannot raise your complaint with us and want advice on how to take your complaint forward. They can be contacted on 0800 389 6819
