Complaints Procedure

Making a complaint

If you are unable to resolve your complaint at the time with the person and therefore wish to make a formal complaint you should do so, in writing as soon as possible after the event.  Ideally within a few days, as this helps us to establish what happened more easily. In any event, this should be:

Within 12 months of the incident

or

Within 12 months of you discovering that you have a problem, giving as much detail as you can.  If you are a registered patient you can complain about your own care. You are unable to complain about someone else’s treatment without their written authority, (see the separate section on this page).

Receiving of complaints

The Practice may receive a complaint made by, or (with his/her consent) on behalf of a patient, or former patient, who is receiving or has received treatment at the Practice, or:

(a)
•    where the patient is a child: by either parent, or in the absence of both parents, the guardian or other adult who has care of the child
•    by a person duly authorised by a local authority to whose care the child has been committed under the provisions of the Children Act 1989;
•    by a person duly authorised by a voluntary organisation by which the child is being accommodated 
(b)
•    where the patient is incapable of making a complaint, by a relative or other adult who has an interest in his/her welfare

Send your written complaint to:

Heather Carrigan
Co-Practice Manager
Pembroke Road Surgery
111 Pembroke Road
Clifton
Bristol BS8 3EU

For an informal discussion, please contact Heather Carrigan via the main surgery number on: 0117 973 3790.

What we will do

We look to settle complaints as soon as possible.  We will acknowledge receipt within 3 working days and this will include how the complaint will be handled and the timescale. We will keep you informed as the investigation progresses.

When looking into a complaint we attempt to see what happened and why, to see if there is something we can learn from this, and make it possible for you to discuss the issue with those involved if you would like to do so. 

When the investigations are complete your complaint will be determined and a final response sent to you.

Where your complaint involves more than one organisation (e.g. social services) we will liaise with that organisation so that you receive one coordinated reply. We may need your consent to do this. Where your complaint has been sent initially to an incorrect organisation, we may seek your consent to forward this to the correct person to deal with.

The final response letter will include details of the result of your complaint and also your right to escalate the matter further if you remain dissatisfied with the response.

In summary

• We take all complaints very seriously and a conduct a thorough investigation, addressing any learning needs that may arise as a result.
• On receipt of a written complaint an acknowledgement will be sent within three working days confirming receipt and outlining the next steps.
• You will be kept update on the progress of the investigation as appropriate.
• It may be that outside sources will need to be contacted and if that is the case then a patient consent form will need to be signed to make such a request.

Complaining on behalf of someone else

We keep to the strict rules of medical and personal confidentiality.  If you wish to make a complaint and are not the patient involved, we will require the written consent of the patient to confirm that they are unhappy with their treatment and that we can deal with someone else about it.

Where the patient is incapable of providing consent due to illness or accident it may still be possible to deal with the complaint. Please provide the precise details of the circumstances which prevent this, in your covering letter.

Please note that we are unable to discuss any issue relating to someone else without their express permission, which must be in writing, unless the circumstances above, apply.

We may still need to correspond direct with the patient, or may be able to deal direct with the third party, and this depends on the wording of the authority provided.

If you prefer not to contact the Practice directly

Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board (ICB) is committed to ensuring that services in the local area meet and exceed the expectations of our population. Your feedback is therefore very important and we strongly encourage you to share your experience with us so we can use it to help maintain, improve or if necessary, change the services we commission.

If you have a compliment, concern, complaint or would simply like some free and confidential advice in relation to a healthcare service you have received, please contact the Customer Services Team who will be happy to help you.

Tel: 0117 900 2655 or 0800 073 0907

Email: bnssg.customerservice@nhs.net

Write to:

Customer Services Team
NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire CCG
South Plaza,
Marlborough Street,
Bristol,
BS1 3NX

Advocacy

“Advocacy is taking action to help people to say what they want, secure their rights, represent their interests and obtain services they need. Advocates and advocacy schemes work in partnership with the people they support and take their side. Advocacy promotes social inclusion, equality and social justice.”

The Advocacy Charter, 2002

If you need help with the complaints process, there are advocacy services that can support you.You can approach the advocacy service directly or, someone on your behalf can refer you, if you have given consent

The Advocacy People

Independent Health Complaints Advocacy (IHCA)

Support in raising a complaint when NHS care and treatment hasn’t been at the standard you expect.

How we can help

Sometimes things don’t go as well as we would expect when we receive care and treatment from the NHS.

When this happens, we have lots of questions: why did this happen? how can it be put right? will it happen to someone else?

The Advocacy People can support you to make a complaint and get answers to your questions. We offer different levels of support. Our self-help Factsheets can guide you through making your own complaint. Or one of our Independent Health Complaints Advocates can work with you from the beginning or at any stage. For more information and to make a referral:

Call: 0330 440 9000

Web: www.theadvocacypeople.org.uk

Email: info@theadvocacypeople.org.uk

Write: PO Box 375, Hastings, East Sussex, TN34 9HU

Text: 80800 start message with PEOPLE

If you remain dissatisfied with the response from the Practice

In all complaints, the second stage of the NHS complaints process remains to ask the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman to review the complaint.

About the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO)

‘We independently investigate complaints about UK government departments, other public organisations and the NHS in England. We believe complaints have the power to reveal the truth, create lasting change and inspire a better relationship between people and public services. Our service is free, fair and open to everyone’.

Contact Us:

To find out if we can help: Visit www.ombudsman.org.uk

Call us on 0345 015 4033

Text ‘call back’ with your name and mobile number to 07624 813 005