Complaints Procedure

We always try to give you the best services possible, but there may be times when you feel this has not happened. This procedure explains what to do if you have a complaint about the services we provide for you.

Our Practice procedure is not able to deal with questions of legal liability or compensation. We hope you will use it to allow us to look into and, if necessary, put right any problems you have identified or mistakes that have been made.

If you use this procedure it will not affect your right to complain to the Dorset Primary Care Trust if you so wish at a later date. You may also want to contact an independent agency such as the Dorset Advocacy Service.  However, all complaints will be dealt with first by the surgery. Please note that we have to respect our duty of confidentiality to patients and a patient's consent will be necessary if that patient does not make a complaint in person.

If you wish to make a complaint, please phone or write to our Management Team. If you prefer, please ask for a complaint form, which you can fill in and return to the practice. The Management Team will acknowledge this within three working days. If you telephone, the Management Team will take full details of your complaint and decide how best to undertake the investigation. If the complaint is of a clinical nature the Partner who oversees the practice complaint procedure will deal with it. If the Doctor himself is the subject of the complaint, one of the other Partners will be the investigating Partner. We will inform you if investigation of the complaint requires your records to be seen by someone other than a member of the practice team.

We think it is important to deal with complaints swiftly, so you will normally be given a written reply within 10 working days. Occasionally, if we have to make a lot of enquires and the people involved are away, it might take a little longer, but we will keep you informed. Following the written reply we will arrange a meeting if you feel that further discussion is necessary. You may bring a friend or relative with you to the meeting. Complaints normally should be made within six months of the date of the incident that caused the problem—or within six months of the date of discovery of the problem, provided it is within 12 months of the incident.

We will try to address your concerns fully, provide you with an explanation and discuss any action that may be needed. We hope that at the end of the meetings you will feel satisfied that we have dealt with the matter thoroughly.

However, if you remain dissatisfied with the response to your complaint, you have the right to ask the Healthcare Commission for an independent review of your case.  This should be done within six months of the letter informing you of the outcome of local resolution.

   

NHS England
PO Box 16738
Redditch
B97 9PT
Tel: 0300 311 2233 

Email: england.contactus@nhs.net

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
11th Floor
Millbank Tower
London
SW1P 4QP
Helpline: 0345 015 4033
Email: phso.enquiries@ombudsman.org.uk

 
Dorset Advocacy Service
Unit 13-15, Jubilee Court
Paceycombe Way
Poundbury
DT1 3AE
Tel: 0300 343 7000

Email: nhscomplaints@dorsetadvocacy.co.uk

Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group
Vespasian House
Barrack Road
Dorchester
DT1 1TS
Tel: 01305 368900
www.dorsetccg.nhs.uk

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