Practice Complaints Procedure
If you have a complaint or concern about the service you have received from the doctors or any staff working in this practice, please let us know. We operate a practice complaints procedure as part of an NHS system for dealing with complaints. This leaflet explains the procedure we will follow.
How to Complain
Complaints can be made to any member of staff or doctor who will bring it to the attention of a Complaints Officer. At reception there are forms which may assist you.
Complaining on Behalf of Someone
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 permission to do so.
A note signed by the person concerned will be needed, unless this is not possible, then their complaint should be brought by the next of kin.
Feedback & Complaint Officers:
– Sarah Spalding, Practice Manager
– Susan Mair, Front Office Coordinator
– Feedback & Complaint Manager, Dr Margaret Denison, Partner
Timescales
We hope that most concerns can be sorted out easily and quickly. 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.
If it is not possible to do that, please let us have the 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.
What we shall do
We shall acknowledge your complaint within 3 working days and aim to have investigated your complaint within 20 working days of the date or as soon as reasonably practicable.
We shall then be in a position to give you an explanation, or offer a meeting with those involved.
In investigating your complaint, we shall aim to:
- Find out what happened and what went wrong
- Enable you to discuss the problem with those concerned, if you would like this;
- Ensure you receive an apology, where this is appropriate;
- Identify what we can do to make sure the problem doesn’t happen again.
Patient Advice & Support Service
P.A.S.S.is part of the Scottish Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) Service. The service is independent and provides free, confidential information, advice and support to anyone who uses the NHS in Scotland.
PASS will:
– Help clients understand their rights and responsibilities as patients.
– Provide information, advice and support for those wishing to give feedback or comments, raise concerns to make complaints about health care delivered by NHS Scotland.
– Ensure clients feel listened to, supported, and respected when raising concerns about difficult experiences.
– Work with the NHS to use feedback to improve NHS service provision.
Contact details:
You can access this service by:
Telephone: 0845 330 5012 Website: www.cas.org.uk/Projects/patientadvice
Scottish Public Services Ombudsman
If you are unhappy with the outcome or the way your complaint has been investigated you can ask the Ombudsman to investigate on your behalf. The SPSO will assist you once all attempts to find a satisfactory outcome have come to a close. The ombudsman contact details are:
Scottish Public Services Ombudsman, Bridgeside House, 99 McDonald Road, Edinburgh, EH7 4NS
Telephone: 0800 377 7330 Website www.spso.org.uk. Mobile site: http://m.spso.org.uk
