Complaints

If you have any suggestions or complaints about the practice, these should be made in writing to Mrs Pauline Stewart our Practice Manager. In her absence, complaints will be dealt with by Mrs M Tomlinson, Practice Administrator.

Further details about the complaints procedure are outlined below.

If you have a complaint or concern about the service you have received from the practice, please let us know. We operate a practice complaints procedure as part of a NHS system for dealing with complaints. Our complaints system has been developed in line with national criteria.

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 few days -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:

a) within 6 months of the incident that caused the problem,
b) within 6 months of discovering that you have a problem, provided this is within 12 months of the incident

Written complaints
We would ask that, where possible, you make your complaint in writing, giving us as much information as you can. If the complaint is about a specific incident, please give as much information as possible:

a) describe what happened
b)who was involved
c) when the incident happened
d) where the incident happened

If the complaint is about a particular issue or procedure, you should also write with as much information as you are able to give. Complaints should be addressed to Mrs. Pauline Stewart (Practice Manager). Mrs. Stewart is responsible for ensuring that the practice complaints procedure is followed. In her absence, complaints will be administered byMrs M Tomlinson, Practice Administrator.

Verbal complaints
If you do not wish to make your complaint in writing, you should, where possible, raise it with the person concerned at the time. Alternatively, you may raise your complaint with any member of the practice staff. The member of staff will ask you for some details about your complaint, and will fill in a Contact Sheet. The staff member may not be able to answer your complaint, but will ensure that details are passed immediately (the same day) to Mrs. Stewart or her nominated deputy.

Alternatively, you may ask for an appointment with Mrs Stewart to discuss your concerns. She will explain the complaints procedure to you and will make sure that your concerns are dealt with promptly. It will be a great help if you are as specific as possible about your complaint.

What we will do:
a) We will acknowledge your complaint in writing within 2 working days

b) We will aim to look into your complaint within 10 working days of the date when you raised it with us

c) We will then offer you an explanation, including details of any action to be taken by the practice, or invite you to attend a meeting with the people involved

d) If we have not been able to establish sufficient information within 10 working days, we will contact you in any case to inform you that we are continuing to look into the problem - we will write to you again within a further 10 days, offering an explanation.

When we look into your complaint, we will aim to:
a) Find out what happened

b) Make it possible for you to discuss the issue with those concerned, if you wish

c) Make sure you receive an explanation of what happened, and an apology where appropriate

d) Identify areas to be addressed by the practice, and take any corrective action if necessary

What we ask You to do
We will ask you in the letter of response to notify the practice that you accept the outcome of the complaint, or otherwise, stating your further requirements. We will assume that the outcome of the complaint is satisfactory should we not receive a reply within 28 days.

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, we have to know that you have their permission to do so. A note signed by the person concerned will be needed, unless they are incapable (because of illness) of providing this.

Complaining to Hyndburn & Ribble Valley PCT
We hope that, if you have a problem, you will use our practice complaints procedure. We believe that this will give us the best chance of improving our services to patients. This does not affect your right to approach the local health authority, if you feel you cannot raise your complaint with us or you are dissatisfied with the result of our investigation, you should contact:

The Complaints Manager
Hyndburn & Ribble Valley PCT
Red Rose Court
Clayton Business Park
Clayton le Moors
Accrington
BB5 5JR

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