Complaints

Practice Complaints Procedure

We can all make mistakes and we’ll admit when we make mistakes and will try and make amends as soon as we can. It is usually best to tell someone close to the cause of your complaint – a doctor, nurse, receptionist, or manager, for example – and as soon as possible. In most cases, we can sort out the problem straight away.

If you are still unhappy you may make a formal complaint. This can be verbal or written – in person, by telephone, by letter, or by e-mail (please add subject header ‘complaint’). It would be useful if you can tell us the outcome you wish to achieve.

Complaints should be made within 12 months of the incident or the incident coming to your attention.

You may complain about something concerning you or someone else; however, if it involves another person we’ll need their signed consent to respond as it will involve confidential information.

The person responsible for handling complaints is the Practice Manager.

1. Local Resolution:

• Wherever possible, you should tell someone close to the cause of your complaint – a doctor, nurse, receptionist, or manager, for example. In many cases, it should be possible to sort out the problem straight away.
• Your complaint will be acknowledged within 3 working days either verbally or in writing.
• The Practice Manager may need to speak to you to clarify certain aspects; often a meeting is helpful at this stage.
• The matter will be discussed with members of the team involved and after a suitable investigation, a response will be made.
• You may be offered a full written explanation of what happened and/or a meeting to discuss it.
• The complaint will be investigated and answered as soon as we can – the official NHS timescale is “within 6 months” but usually is within four weeks, often quicker. You should be given an indication of the likely time, which depends on the complexity of the matter and if there are any unfrozen delays such as people on leave.

If you don’t want to talk to someone who has been involved with your care, you can write to or telephone a complaints manager.

All NHS hospital trusts and Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) – for community services – have a complaints manager who can advise you. GPs, dentists, opticians, and pharmacies should also have someone who oversees their complaints procedure.

If you are not sure who to contact, get in touch with your local CCG, phone NHS 111 or ask at the surgery.
You can ask the Patient Advice and Liaison Services (PALs) office at the hospital trust or CCG for information and help on using their complaints procedure. There is also a PALS national website.

Alternatively, you can telephone NHS 111 for advice.

2. Referral to Ombudsman:

• If you are still not happy with the outcome of this Local Resolution process, you may apply to the Parliamentary and Health Services Ombudsman, who is independent of the NHS and government. Call 0345 015 4033

3. Complain to the commissioner of our service, NHS England:

• If your complaint is about primary care services such as GPs, dentists, opticians or pharmacy services then contact NHS England, and if your complaint is about or for hospitals, clinics, mental health services, out of hours services and community services such as district nursing, contact Brent Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG). If your complaint is about public health organisations (those who provide services that prevent disease, promote health and prolong life), contact your Brent Council.
• If you need advice or help making your complaint you can contact Brent Healthwatch (Tel: 0203 598 6414) or the Brent Independent Health Complaints Advocacy Service (Tel: 0203 553 5960).