We are very fortunate that medical complaints are very infrequent at our practice. We hope this reflects the personal service we offer to all our patients. However, 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.

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 feel it is necessary to make a complaint, we would like you to let us know as soon as possible – ideally within five working days as this will enable us to establish what happened more easily. If this is not possible, please let us have the details of your complaint.

Time limit to make a complaint

A complaint should be made as soon as possible after an event and not more than 12 months after the date the matter complained about occurred or the date that the patient/client was aware of the event. The time limit will be extended if there are good grounds for not making the complaint earlier and it is still possible to investigate the complaint fairly and effectively.

What we shall do

We shall acknowledge your complaint within 3 days, and will fully respond to your complaint within 28 days which will include the following:

find out what happened and what went wrong
document notes of any discussions
make it possible for you to discuss the problem with those concerned, if you would like this and if this is appropriate
make sure you receive an apology, when this is appropriate

identify what we can do to make sure the problem does not happen again

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, you will have to have written permission from the person concerned, unless they are incapable of providing this.

Please see attached form which includes a consent section which needs to be completed and signed by the complainant.

Help Making a Complaint

Should you require any direct help or advice making your complaint you can contact your local Independent Complaints Advocacy Service (ICAS):

ICAS

Churchill House

12 Mosley Street

Newcastle upon Tyne

NE1 1DE

Tel: 0845 120 3732