Complaints procedure for patients

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How to complain

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We hope that most problems can be sorted out easily and quickly when they occur and with the person concerned. If this is not possible and you wish to make a complaint, we would like you to contact us preferably within a matter of days that we can establish what happened more easily. If it is not possible to do that, please let us have the details of your complaint:

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• 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 of the incident.

 

Ms Gabbie Cokayne (Practice Manager) will deal with ALL complaints. She will investigate all complaints and you are welcome to contact her directly. It will be helpful if you can be as specific as possible.

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What we shall do

 

We will acknowledge your complaint within three working days and this will include an offer to discuss the matter.

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Your complaint will be investigated within ten working days of the date when we received your letter. There will be circumstances when adherence to this timetable is not possible, e.g. when staff members concerned are on holiday or when specialist professional advice is required.

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Once your complaint has been investigated, we shall be in a position to offer you an explanation, or a meeting with those involved.

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In investigating your complaint, we shall aim to:

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a) Find out what happened and what went wrong

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

c) Make sure that you receive an apology, where this is appropriate

d) Identify what we can do to make sure the problem does not re occur

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Complaining on behalf of someone else

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Please note that we keep strictly to the rules of confidentiality. If you are complaining on behalf of someone else, we need to know that you have permission to do so and we will require you to have a signed note by the person concerned.

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Complaining to the Health Authority

 

We hope that you will use our Practice Complaints procedure. We know that this will provide the best opportunity to resolve your complaint and for us to improve our practice. If you feel you cannot raise your complaint with us or are dissatisfied with the results of our investigation, you may contact:

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The Primary Care Trust (for NHS treatment): Verney House, Gateway Road, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP19 ET.

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Denplan Complaints handling and Risk Management Department: Telephone 0800 169 7220.

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Dental Complaints: Telephone 08456 120 540 or contact them at www.dentalcomplaints.org.uk

 

For more information, please view our 'Code of practice for patient complaints'