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Complaints
Our aim is to provide the highest level of care for all our patients. We will always be willing to hear if there is any way that you think that we can improve the service we provide.
If you have a complaint or concern about the service you have received from the doctors or any of the staff working in this practice, please let us know. We operate a practice complaints procedure as part of a NHS system for dealing with complaints. Our complaints system meets national criteria as laid down by the NHS.
How to complain
We hope that most complaints / concerns can be dealt with easily and quickly, and hopefully at the time you have a concern and directly with the person concerned. If you feel that the problem cannot be resolved 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 couple of days. We would also like you to give us the opportunity to resolve any complaints before you feel the need to post it on a social media platform.
The sooner you let us know you are unhappy, the quicker we can establish what has happened more easily. Ideally let us know on the day, within a few days or at most a few weeks. If it is not possible to do this, please let us have details of your complaint:
- within 12 months of the incident that is the cause of the problem; or
- within 12 months of discovering that you have a problem
What you should do
The Practice Manager, Samantha Sales, will be pleased to deal with any complaint. She will explain the procedure to you and 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. You can make your complaint:
- In person – ask to speak to Samantha Sales
- In writing / email – some complaints may be easier to explain in writing – please give as much information as you can, then send your complaint to the practice for the attention of Samantha Sales at cpicb.nrmcpatients@nhs.net
- Digitally - you can send a digital file to us with a spoken complaint. This can be audio or video. Only .mpg files can be accepted. The file should be sent by email to Samantha Sales at cpicb.nrmcpatients@nhs.net. On receipt of the digital complaint, the Patient Services Manager will contact the patient to confirm the patient has submitted the recording.
Complaining on behalf of someone else
Please note that we keep strictly to the rules of patient medical confidentiality. If you are complaining on behalf of someone else, we have to be assured that you have his or her permission to do so. A note signed by the patient concerned will be needed, unless they are incapable (because of illness) of providing this.
Our commitment to you
We shall acknowledge your complaint within seven working days and aim to have looked into your complaint within the time scale agreed with you. If we are unable to do this within 28 days, we will let you know. The time taken to investigate your complaint will depend on its complexity and the number of people involved. We shall then be in a position to offer you an explanation, or a meeting if that is more appropriate. When we look into your complaint, we aim to:
- Find out what happened and what should have happened.
- Make it possible for you to discuss the problem with those concerned if this is your wish.
- Ensure the complaint is resolved to your satisfaction.
- Make sure you receive an apology, where this is appropriate.
- Identify what needs to be done to ensure the problem does not arise again.
Our Principles are
- To get it right
- To be patient focussed
- To be open and accountable
- To act fairly and proportionately
- To put things right
- To seek continuous improvement
We hope that, if you have a problem, you will use our practice complaints procedure to ensure it is resolved. We believe this will give us the best chance of putting right whatever has gone wrong and an opportunity to improve our practice.
This however does not affect your right to approach the local Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Integrated Care Board (C&P ICB) if you feel you cannot raise your complaint with us or you are dissatisfied with the result of our investigation.
Issues With Other NHS Organisations
For support and help regarding issues with other NHS organisations, The Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) provides
- Advice and support to patients, their families and carers
- Information on NHS services
- Listens to concerns, suggestions or queries
- Help to sort out problems quickly.
More information about PALS can be found here. They can be contacted on contacted on 01223 219444 or palsandcomplaints@cpft.nhs.uk
The Independent Complaints Advocacy Service
For information and help in making a complaint you can contact POhWER who are the Independent Complaints Advocacy Service (ICAS), postal address: NHS Complaints Advocacy, PO Box 14043, Birmingham B6 0BL. Telephone: 0300 456 2370,
Fax: 0300 456 2365, Minicom: 0300 456 2364, E-mail: pohwer@pohwer.net.
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
If your complaint is not resolved by the Practice it can be referred to The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman. All records will have to be provided to the Ombudsman to assist with the resolution of your complaint. www.ombudsman.org.uk, Tel: 0345 015 4033 or The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, Millbank Tower, Millbank, London, SW1P 4QP.