There are two ways a person can make a complaint
- They can complain to the healthcare provider: this is the organisation where they received the NHS service, for example a GP surgery or dental surgery.
- They can complain to the commissioner of the service: this is the organisation that paid for the service or care they received.
After 1 July 2023 if a person wants to make a complaint about primary care services to the commissioner they should now contact their local integrated Care Board instead of NHS England.
Complaints
The Lander Medical Practice welcomes comments, compliments, concerns and complaints. We always aim to provide the best care we can. However, we know that sometimes things can go wrong. When this happens we believe that is it often most effective to sort problems out quickly and informally. Please talk to any member of staff if you have a problem or concern.
The NHS Complaints Procedure is a more formal way of resolving a concern. We want to assure people that they can make a complaint without fear of their care being affected. We believe it is important to understand why things go wrong so that we can prevent such things happening again.
There are two stages to the Complaints Procedure. The first stage is called ‘Local Resolution’. This is where we work with you to resolve your complaint. If after this, you feel your complaint to be still unresolved you can progress to the second stage by approaching the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman for an ‘Independent Review’.
If you want to make a formal complaint, please contact the Complaints Manager, Naomi Rowe. You can do this in writing (including email), by phone or in person. The Independent Complaints Advocacy Service (ICAS) can help you make a complaint if you wish.
Please try to make your complaint as soon as possible. There are time limits; normally twelve months after the event you are complaining about (or became aware of the matter for complaint). However, there are exceptions to this and we will always try to help as much as we can.
If you are making a complaint on behalf of another person, we may need to ask that person’s consent before investigating the complaint.
The Complaints Manager will discuss with you how you would like your complaint resolved and how long this might take. The person who investigates your complaint may need to talk to other staff and look at your medical records. They will be careful to ensure that any information about you is kept confidential. Your complaint will not be recorded in your medical notes.
We will acknowledge your complaint, and how we have agreed to resolve it within 3 working days. We will keep you informed of progress; letting you know of any delays in resolving your complaint. We will usually advise you of the outcome by letter, however we are also happy to meet with you. We will let you know the outcome of the investigation and of action taken as a result. If you are unhappy with any aspect of how we have handled your complaint, we would prefer you to tell us. This means that we can discuss if there are any other ways of locally resolving your concerns.
If preferred, you may wish to copy your complaint to NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly, who will be happy to monitor how we handle your complaint. You may also contact them direct and they will forward your complaint to us.
GP Practice Complaints Manager
Naomi Rowe, Complaints Manager, Lander Medical Practice, Infirmary Hill, Truro TR1 2JA.
You can make your complaint online using our Complaints Form.
Interpreting Service
We can arrange for a meeting with the GP Complaints Manager and an Interpreter for any patient whose first language is not English and needs help with their complaint.
Take it Further
NHS Cornwall & Isles of Scilly – complaints
Part 2s, Chy Trevail
Beacon Technology Park
Dunmere Road
Bodmin
PL31 2FR
Telephone: 01726 627 975
Independent Complaints Advocacy Service (ICAS)
1st Floor, 17 Dean Street, Liskeard, PL14 4AB
Telephone: 01579 345193
email: [email protected]
Complain to the Ombudsman
If, after receiving our final decision, you remain dissatisfied you may take your complaint to the Ombudsman.
The Ombudsman is independent of the NHS and free to use. It can help resolve your complaint, and tell the NHS how to put things right if it has got them wrong.
The Ombudsman only has legal powers to investigate certain complaints. You must have received a final response from the Practice before the Ombudsman can look at your complaint and it will generally not look into your complaint if it happened more than 12 months ago, unless there are exceptional circumstances.
Address:
Parliamentary & Health Service Ombudsman
Tower 30
Millbank
London SW1P 4QP
Phone: 0345 015 4033
However, before considering taking this step, we hope you would let us know what aspect of the complaint has not been dealt with satisfactorily and provide an opportunity for us to consider whether there is anything further that could be done locally to resolve matters.
Other organisations that can help you make a complaint about health services
Complaints Advocacy Service
POhWER is a charity that provides information, advocacy and independent advice across England.
They offer free direct and local support via Professionals and Volunteers. POhWER reaches individuals struggling with particular challenges in their lives, and help make their voices be heard. POhWER can support and empower you to express your views and concerns and access information and services where needed.
You can contact POhWER on 0300 456 2370
Confidentiality
All complaints will be treated in the strictest confidence.
Where the investigation of the complaint requires consideration of the patient’s medical records, we will inform the patient or person acting on his/her behalf if the investigation will involve disclosure of information contained in those records to a person other than the Practice or an employee of the Practice.
We keep a record of all complaints and copies of all correspondence relating to complaints, but such records will be kept separate from patients’ medical records.
Statistics and reporting
The Practice must submit to the local primary care organisation periodically/at agreed intervals details of the number of complaints received and actioned.
Give feedback or make a complaint
You can complain to a member of staff at the NHS service you went to, such as a GP surgery or hospital, or you can complain to the organisation in charge.
Note: If you make a complaint it is practice policy to ensure you are not discriminated against, or subjected to any negative effect on your care, treatment or support.