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ESSEX WAY SURGERY SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN, YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULTS INFORMATION LEAFLET

SAFEGUARDING INFORMATION LEAFLET

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

Comments & Complaints

surveryWe welcome your opinion about the services we provide. If you have a concern or  complaint, please ask to speak to the practice manager. A full copy of the complaints procedure is available on request. The practice will not in any way be influenced when a Patient makes a complaint. The patient should continue to feel free to consult a GP or nurse as normal.

PATIENT COMPLAINTS INFORMATION LEAFLET

Practice complaints procedure

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 a NHS system for dealing with complaints.  Our complaints system meets 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 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 12 months of the incident that caused the probelm, or 
  • Within 12 months of discovering that you have a problem, provided this is within 12 months of the incident.

Complaints should be addressed to the Practice Manager Mrs Miranda Rumble. Alternatively, you may ask for an appointment with Mrs Miranda Rumble 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.

The Practice will not discriminate against any patient who makes a complaint, and the Practice will act on any concerns and, if appropriate, will make changes to ensure improvements in service delivery.

What we shall do

Within 3 working days we shall acknowledge your complaint which will include an offer to discuss the matter with an appropriate person in the practice.    When we investigate 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 likje this.
  • Make sure you receive an apology, where appropriate.
  • Identify what we can do to make sure the problem does not happen again.

A formal response will be sent within an agreed timescale with the complainant.  The complainant will be contacted if there is likely to be a delay in meeting this timescale and a new one agreed.

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 must know that you have their permission to do so.  A letter signed by the person concerned will be needed unless they are incapable (because of illness) of providing this. If the latter is the position, access to information will need to be discussed with a doctor.

Help with how to complain.

If patients require help with making a complaint Patient Advice & Liaison Service (PALs) can be contacted on telephone number:  01702 385333, Email: PALS@southend.nhs.uk or by post:  PALS Office, Southend University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Prittlewell Chase, Westcliff on Sea, Essex SS0 0RY.

Complaining to the NHS England

Should you prefer to raise your concern or complaint to someone else who has not been directly involved in your care, you can contact NHS England for Complaints, information and advice on Tel: 0300 311 2233 or Email: England.contactus@nhs.net.

Complaining to the Parliamentary Health Service Ombudsman

If complaints remain unresolved then the complaint may be taken to the Parliamentary Health Service Ombudsman. If you require further information, please ask at reception for the Patient Information Leaflet on complaints which explains in more detail the complaints procedure.

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman has published a booklet that describes the ‘six principles for remedy’ in relation to complaints managing and involves:

  • Getting it right
  • Being customer focused
  • Being open and accountable
  • Acting fairly and proportionately
  • Putting things right
  • Seeking continious improvements  

If you remain unhappy after everything has been done to try to resolve your concern or complaint you have the right to approach the Ombudsman Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, Millbank Tower, Millbank, London SW1P 4QP. Tel: 0345 015 4033 or Email: phso.enquiries@ombudsman.org.uk   www.ombudsman.org.uk

 

 
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