We make every effort to give the best service possible to everyone who attends our practice.
However, we are aware that things can go wrong resulting in a patient feeling that they have a genuine cause for complaint. If this is so, we would wish for the matter to be settled as quickly, and as amicably, as possible.
To pursue a complaint please contact the practice manager who will deal with your concerns appropriately. Further written information is available regarding the complaints procedure from reception or download from the following links:
Complaints Leaflet (PDF, 217KB)
Complaints Policy & Form (PDF, 153KB)
Practice complaints procedure
The staff and partners recognise that, occasionally, everyone makes mistakes. This includes us. Although we try to provide the kind of service our patients would like, we appreciate that this is not always possible.
We feel that the only way to improve the service that we provide is to actively encourage our patients to tell about the things we get wrong (we hope you will also tell us about the things we get right!).
If you are unhappy about the service, staff or any other aspect of the surgery, PLEASE TELL US! We operate a practice complaints procedure which is part of the NHS system for dealing with complaints and meets national criteria. We aim to resolve complaints easily and quickly. In many cases we try to solve the problems as they arise.
Making a complaint
Most problems can be sorted out quickly and easily, often at the time they arise with the person concerned and this may be the approach you try first.
Where you are not able to resolve your complaint in this way and wish to make a formal complaint you should do so, preferably in writing as soon as possible after the event and 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 that caused the problem, or within 12 months of you discovering that you have a problem.
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.
We are able to provide you with a separate complaints form to register your complaint and this includes a third-party authority form to enable a complaint to be made by someone else. Please ask at reception for this. You can provide this in your own format providing this covers all the necessary aspects.
Send or hand in your written complaint to:
The Practice Manager
Plas Meddyg Surgery
40 Parkhill Road
Bexley
Kent
DA5 1HU
Plas Meddyg Surgery’s Complaints Manager is: Mark Burgess
What we do next?
We look to settle complaints as soon as possible.
We will acknowledge receipt within 3 working days, and aim to have looked into the matter within 10 working days. You may then receive a formal reply in writing, or you may be invited to meet with the person(s) concerned to attempt to resolve the issue. If the matter is likely to take longer than this we will let you know, and 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.
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.
Please ask at reception for the Complaints Form which contains a suitable authority for the patient to sign to enable the complaint to proceed.
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 need assistance making your complaint
Advocacy For All support people to make a complaint about services commissioned or provided by the NHS. For more details visit their website.
If you are dissatisfied with the outcome
If you remain unhappy, and you feel we could help resolve this unhappiness, we would be happy to discuss any further issues linked to this complaint with you; otherwise, you have the right to ask the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) to review your complaint if you remain unhappy once local resolution is completed. The address is:
The Parliamentary & Health Services Ombudsman
Millbank Tower Millbank London
SW1P 4QP
Telephone: 0345 015 4033
Email: phso.enquiries@ombudsman.org.uk
www.ombudsman.org.uk
The PHSO would normally expect any request to be lodged within 12 months, however you are encouraged to make the approach as soon as possible after the completion of local resolution.