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 an NHS system for dealing with complaints. Our complaints system meets national criteria.
Patients may seek a correction of medical information that they believe is inaccurate. The GP is not obliged to accept the patient’s opinion, but we will ensure that the medical record indicates the patients view and an investigation will be carried out to determine accuracy. A copy of a correction will be supplied to the patient if appropriate. Patients have the right to apply to the ICO or the courts to have inaccuracies amended or destroyed.
Patients can raise their concerns about information that may have been redacted. They can make a request for an explanation as to the reason why information may have been redacted from view.
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 problem; or
* within 12 months of discovering that you have a problem
Complaints should be addressed to the Practice Management Team, or any of the Doctors and be preferably by email sxicb-wsx.complaints.loxwoodmedicalpractice@nhs.net or in writing, if this is not possible please ask a member of the Admin Team if a member of the Management Team could contact you regarding a complaint that you would like to discuss.
Informal Complaints
As a patient, relative or carer, you may wish to raise a concern about any aspect of your care but do not want to make a formal complaint. We aim to respond to those complaints at the time, but if you are not satisfied, then you are entitled to make a formal complaint. You may also make a complaint on behalf of someone else, provided you have their consent and the practice is satisfied you are acting in their best interests. If the practice decides this is not the case, you will be notified in writing and an explanation given.
If you wish to make your complaint official, this can still be raised as an oral complaint, the complaint will be recorded and a copy of the written record given to you. It will be a great help if you are as specific as possible about your complaint.
What we shall do
We will endeavour to acknowledge your complaint in a timely manner. We will look into your complaint and discuss with other members of the practice team. We will endeavour to respond to you within 28 days.
When we look into 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 like this.
* make sure you receive an apology, where this is appropriate
* identify what we can to make sure the problem doesn’t happen again.
If a resolution has not been reached, you have the right to take the complaint to the Health Service Ombudsman.
Complaining on behalf of someone else
Please note that we keep strictly to the rules of confidentiality. If you are complaining on behalf of someone else, we have to know that you have their permission to do so. Please complete the complaints consent form.
Complaining to NHS Frimley ICB
We hope that, if you have a problem, you will use our practice complaints procedure. We believe this will give us the best chance of putting right whatever has gone wrong and an opportunity to improve our practice. But this does not affect your right to the ICB if you feel you cannot raise your complaint with us or you are dissatisfied with the result of our investigation.
South East Complaints Hub
NHS Frimley ICB
Aldershot Centre for Health
Hospital Hill
Aldershot
Hampshire
GU11 1AY
Complaints phone number: 0300 561 0290 Complaints email address: frimleyicb.southeastcomplaints@nhs.net
You may also contact:
Healthwatch
www.healthwatch.co.uk/local-healthwatch-practice/westsussex
Healthwatch will work to help people get the best out of their health and social care services, providing them with advice and information on local services.
Healthwatch West Sussex Independent Health Complaints Advocacy Service (IHCAS)
Telephone: 0300 012 0122
Email: helpdesk@healthwatchwestsussex.co.uk
Address: The Billingshurst Community Centre, Roman Way, Billingshurst, West Sussex RH14 9QW
Getting involved with your GP Practice
If you would like to take part in patient surveys and receive patient newsletters, please subscribe to newsletter via the home page on this website.
If you would like to make suggestions for improved services please do so by putting your suggestion in the box which is located just inside the surgery or via contact us on our practice website.
