COMPLAINTS
-our guide for patients
ADSHALL ROAD MEDICAL PRACTICE
97 ADSHALL ROAD
CHEADLE
SK8 2JN
PHONE 0161 983 5400
OUR PRACTICE COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE
If you have a complaint about the service you have received from the doctors or any of the staff working in the practice, please let us know. We cannot start to resolve your complaint until we know about it.
Our practice complaints procedure meets all the national criteria and is part of the NHS system for dealing with complaints.
How to complain
We hope that most problems can be sorted out easily and quickly, often at the time they arise and with the person concerned. If your problem cannot be sorted out in this way and you wish to make a complaint, we would like you to let us know as soon as possible - ideally within a matter of days. This will enable us to establish what happened more easily. If it is not possible to do that, please let us have details of your complaint. Your complaint should normally be
Within 12 months of the event concerned.
This time limit may be waived if there is a good reason why you could not complain earlier.
Complaints can be made verbally, by email (STOCCG.adshallroad@nhs.net) or in writing addressed to the Practice Manager - Mrs. Edwards. Alternatively, you may ask for an appointment with Mrs. Edwards, in order to discuss your concerns. She will explain the complaints procedure to you and will make sure that your concerns are dealt with promptly. It will be a great help if you are as specific as possible about your complaint.
Our practice complaints procedure is confidential and remains within our practice. In addition, all reference to your complaint is kept completely separate from your medical records.
What we shall do
We shall acknowledge your complaint within 3 working days of receipt. At this time we would discuss and agree with you the points that require investigating and the period within which our investigations are likely to be completed.
When we look into your complaint, we shall aim to:
- find out what happened and what went wrong
- make it possible for you to discuss the problem with those concerned, if you would like this
- make sure you receive an apology, where this is appropriate
- identify what we can do to ensure that the problem does not happen again.
Complaining on behalf of someone else
If you are making a complaint on behalf of someone else, we have to know that you have their permission to do so. A note, signed by the patient, giving us permission to discuss their case with you will be needed, unless they are incapable (because of illness) of providing this. Due to patient confidentiality, we cannot respond to any complaint you may make, without this. We can provide a consent form for you to use instead, on request.
If you have a comment or suggestion to make instead
You may not wish to make a complaint, but to make a comment or suggestion for improvement, instead. We have a separate system for you to do this. You can post your comment/suggestion into our post box or prescription box in the porch, comment via our website or hand it into reception. The issues raised under this system are discussed within the practice team to learn from or to try and find practical ways of implementing these.
Alternatively, or indeed at any stage, you may wish to contact the Independent Complaints Advocacy Service who can help you in taking an issue forward. Independent Complaints Advocacy Service – 0808 802 3000
Complaints in relation to other services - If you have a complaint regarding another department or service and you do not know where to direct your complaint, we will do our utmost to direct you to the best place for your complaint to be heard.
If you have a complaint about the care you have received from Mastercall, this should be addressed to: Complaints Manager Mastercall Healthcare
Pepper Road
Hazel Grove
Stockport
SK7 5BW Tel:476 0400
Medical complaints can be directed to NHS England Customer Contact Centre – england.contactus@nhs.net or write for the attention of the Complaints Manager, NHS England, PO Box 16738, Redditch,B97 9PT. Tel 0300 311 22 33
Taking your complaint further
We hope that you will use our practice complaints procedure, giving us both the best and most direct chance to put right whatever has gone wrong. If, however, you are dissatisfied with the result of our investigation or response and wish to formally take this to an independent review please contact the Health Service Ombudsman.
The Health Service Ombudsman would generally only agree to review a complaint if they feel you have exhausted all attempts to resolve your complaint at this local level. If you decide to approach the Health Service Ombudsman you should aim to do this within six months of receipt of our final response. You can contact the Health Service Ombudsman on 0345 015 4033. You can also write to them at The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, Millbank Tower, Millbank, London, SW1 4QP or visit their website at www.ombudsman.org.uk