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.
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 – because this will enable us to establish what happened more easily. A complaint needs to be within 12 months of the incident that caused the problem or within 12 months of discovering that you have a problem.
The practice will endeavour to deal with any complaint as quickly and smoothly as possible. Ideally, please make your complaint in writing and give as much information as you can, then send your complaint to the practice for the attention of the Practice Manager.
You can alternatively send your written complaint via email for the attention of the Practice Manager, to the generic surgery email address: [email protected]
What we will do
Our complaints procedure is designed to make sure that we settle any complaints as quickly as possible.
We will acknowledge receipt of your complaint within 3 working days of receiving it and aim to have looked into your complaint and replied within another 10 working days. We shall then be in a position to offer you an explanation, or a meeting with the people involved.
When we look into your complaint, we shall aim to:
- find out what happened and what went wrong
- offer you an opportunity to discuss the problem with those concerned
- make sure you receive an apology, where appropriate
- identify what we can do to make sure the problem doesn’t happen again.
At the end of the investigation your complaint will be discussed with you in detail, either in person or in writing.
Complaining on behalf of someone else
Please note that we keep strictly to the rules of medical confidentiality. If you are complaining on behalf of someone else, we have to know that you have his or her permission to do so. A note signed by the person concerned will be needed unless they are incapable (because of illness) of providing this.
What you can do next
We hope that, if you have a problem, you will use our practice complaints procedure. We believe that this will give us the best chance of putting right whatever has gone wrong and the opportunity to improve our practice.
However, this does not affect your right to approach the local integrated care board if you feel you cannot raise your complaint with us or you are dissatisfied with the way we are dealing with your complaint.
Please contact:
0300 561 0290
South East Complaints Hub
NHS Frimley ICB
Aldershot Centre for Health
Hospital Hill
Aldershot
Hampshire
GU11 1AY
If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of the GP practice complaints process, you can ask the Health Service Ombudsman to investigate. The Ombudsman is independent of the government and NHS. You can contact their helpline on 0345 015 4033, further information is available at Ombudsman.org.uk.
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
Millbank Tower
Millbank
London
SW1P 4QP
You may also approach Healthwatch Hampshire for help or advice:
Freepost RTHH-KGST-ZRBC
Healthwatch Hampshire
Westgate Chambers
Staple Gardens
Winchester
SO23 8SR
Tel: 01962 440 262
Website:www.healthwatchhampshire.co.uk