COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE FOR PATIENTS
The Practice Complaints Manager is Mrs Sue Gooding (Practice Manager)
The Practice Responsible Person is Dr. John Uden (Senior Partner)
If you have a complaint or concern about the service you have received from anyone working in this practice we would like you to let us know so that we can put things right and improve the service we provide. We operate a practice complaints procedure as part of a NHS system for dealing with complaints.
HOW TO COMPLAIN
We would hope that most problems can be sorted out quickly and easily, often at the time they arrive and with the person concerned. If this is not possible or does not happen it is helpful if you let us know as soon as possible, - ideally, within a few days or weeks. The sooner you let us know of a problem the easier it will be to establish what happened. If you are unable to let us know quickly please let us have details of your complaint
Within 12 months of the incident that caused the problem OR
Within 12 months of discovering that you have a problem
Complaints may be made verbally to any member of the practice team, including the Complaints Manager or in writing addressed to the Complaints Manager, Mrs. Sue Gooding. You can make your complaint directly to the PCT, (contact details at the end of this leaflet) although they would prefer that you contact us first. It is helpful if you can give as much detail when making your complaint and to consider what you would like us to do to put things right for you.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT?
Your complaint will be acknowledged within two working days either by telephone or in writing. It is helpful if you can be contacted by telephone to discuss your complaint in more detail and to agree an appropriate timescale for responding.
Your complaint will be thoroughly investigated and will be treated confidentially. During the investigation it may be necessary to discuss your complaint with staff but we will only discuss information which is necessary to investigate your complaint.
During our investigation we will aim to find out what happened and what went wrong. When the investigation is complete we will contact you to discuss the outcome and this will then be confirmed in a letter.
We will aim to respond to your complaint within 10 working days, or within the timescale which we agreed with you when you made the complaint.
COMPLAINING ON BEHALF OF SOMEBODY ELSE
If you are complaining on behalf of someone else, we will need to know that you have their permission to do so. This is because of the rules of medical confidentiality. A note signed by the person concerned will be required, unless they are incapable of providing this, because of physical or mental illness.
TAKING YOUR COMPLAINT FURTHER
By using our practice complaints procedure if you have a problem, we feel that this will give us the best opportunity to resolve the problem and to improve our practice. However, if you are dissatisfied with the outcome of the Local Resolution process you are entitled to refer your complaint to the Parliamentary Ombudsman on 0345 015 4033.
GETTING HELP WITH MAKING YOUR COMPLAINT
If you need help or advice in making your complaint you can talk to the Patient Advice and Liaison Services (PALS) or the Independent complaints advocacy service (ICAS). Contact details for both organization’s are given below.
P.A.L.S. I.C.A.S.
Jubilee House Kingfisher Exchange 3rd Floor
5510 John Smith Drive, Kingfisher House
Oxford Business Park South, Walton Street
Cowley, Aylesbury
Oxford HP21 7AY
OX4 2LH. Tel 01296 648170/171
Tel: 0800 0526088
To complain to the PCT.
PCT Complaints Team
NHS Oxfordshire
Jubilee House
5510 John Smith Drive
Oxford Business Park South
Oxford
OX4 2LH
Tel: 01865 336786
Fax: 01865 336827
E-mail: complaints.pct@oxfordshirepct.nhs.uk