We always try to give you the best service possible, but there may be times when you feel this has not happened.
Please note that Southover Medical Practice keeps strictly to the rules of medical confidentiality. If you are complaining on behalf of someone else, the practice needs to know that you have their permission to do so. A note signed by the person concerned will be required, unless they are incapable of providing this due to illness or disability.
If you have a complaint about the service you have received from any member of staff working in this practice, please let us know. The practice operates a Complaints Procedure as part of the NHS system for dealing with complaints. Our complaints system meets national criteria.
Note: If you make a complaint it is practice policy to ensure you are not discriminated against, or subjected to any negative effect on your care, treatment or support.
In the first instance please discuss your complaint with the staff member concerned. Where the issue cannot be resolved at this stage, please contact the Practice Manager who will try to resolve the issue and offer you further advice on the complaints procedure. If your problem cannot be resolved at this stage and you wish to make a formal complaint please let us know as soon as possible, ideally within a matter of days. This will enable the practice to get a clear picture of the circumstances surrounding the complaint.
If it is not possible to raise your complaint immediately, please let us have details of your complaint within the following timescales:
- 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
The practice will acknowledge your complaint within three working days and aim to have looked into your complaint within ten working days of the date you raised it with us. At this stage you should be offered an explanation or a meeting with the person(s) involved. When the practice looks into your complaint it aims to:
- Ascertain the full circumstances of the complaint
- Make arrangements 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 the practice can do to make sure the problem does not happen again
PATIENT ADVISORY LIAISON SERVICE (PALS)
PALS provide a confidential service designed to help patients get the most from the NHS. PALS can tell you more about the NHS complaints procedure and may be able to help you resolve your complaint informally. You can contact your local PALS office on 01803 655838 or 0800 0282037.
INDEPENDENT COMPLAINTS AND ADVOCACY SERVICE (ICAS)
ICAS is a national service that supports people who want to make a complaint about their NHS Care or treatment. Your local ICAS service can be found on SEAP – 01579 345193
Please Follow This Link
However, if you feel you cannot raise your complaint with us, or you are dissatisfied with the response received from us, you can contact any of the following bodies:
COMPLAINING TO OTHER AUTHORITIES
| NHS England
PO Box 16738 |
Torbay & S Devon CCG
Pomona House |
OMBUDSMAN
As a last resort, if you are not happy with the response from this practice, you can refer your complaint to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman who investigates complaints about the NHS in England. You can call the Ombudsman’s Complaints Helpline on 0345 015 4033 or Following the Link
or Textphone (Minicom): 0300 061 4298
CONTACTING THE CARE QUALITY COMMISSION
If you have a genuine concern about a staff member or regulated activity carried on by this Practice then you can contact the Care Quality Commission on 03000 616161, or alternatively visit the following website Link