We are continually looking to turn patient feedback into real improvements in the services we provide. We use it to focus on the things that matter most to our patients, carers and their families.
Giving feedback
To provide feedback:
- take part in the Friends and Family Test
- leave a review on the NHS website
- phone us on 01379 853217
Making a complaint
If you have any complaints or concerns about the service that you have received from the doctors or staff working for this practice, please let us know.
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 or at most a few weeks. Email: harleston.reception@nhs.net. 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:
- 12 months from the date on which the event / incident which is the subject of the complaint occurred, or;
- 12 months from the date on which the event / incident which is the subject of the complaint comes to the complainant’s notice.
Complaints should normally be resolved within 6 months.
The practice will acknowledge receipt of complaints within 3 working days and will aim to respond fully within 10 working days.
If the practice is unable to respond within this timeframe it shall inform the complainant of the expected timeframe and the reasons for the delay.
For full details on the practice complaints procedure, please see our “How to let the practice know your views” leaflet (PDF).
What we shall do
Our complaints procedure is designed to make sure that we settle any complaints as quickly as possible.
The practice will acknowledge your complaint within 3 working days. The practice will aim to respond within 10 working days. If we are unable to respond within this timeframe we will contact you to inform you of the reasons why.
When the practice looks into your complaint, it aims to:
- Ascertain the full circumstances of the complaint.
- Make arrangements 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 the practice can do to make sure the problem does not happen again.
Complaining on behalf of someone else
Please note that Harleston Medical practice keeps strictly to the rules of medical confidentiality. If you are complaining on behalf of someone else, the practice needs to know that you have consent to do so. A completed, signed, third party complaint consent form (PDF). These are also available from reception.
What you can do next
The practice management team hope that if you have a problem you will use the practice complaints procedure. However, if you feel you cannot raise your complaint with us, you can contact any of the following four bodies:
NHS complaints advocacy service
This is a national service that supports people who want to make a complaint about their NHS care or treatment.
Phone
0300 456 2370
NHS England
- Phone
0300 311 22 33 - Email
england.contactus@nhs.net - Postal address
NHS England, PO Box 16738, Redditch, B97 9PT
Ombudsman
If you are not happy with the response from this practice, you can refer your complaint to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman who investigates complaints about NHS in England.
- Phone
0345 015 4033 - Textphone
0300 061 4298 - Website
www.ombudsman.org.uk
Care Quality Commission
If you have a genuine concern about a staff member or regulated activity carried out by this practice then you can contact the Care Quality Commission on 03000 61 61 61, or alternatively visit their website: www.cqc.org.uk.