Make a Complaint

We aim to provide you with the very best possible service at all times. However, if you have a complaint or concern about the service that 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. This process is known as the local resolution stage of the NHS procedure.

We hope that most problems can be resolved quickly and easily 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 formal 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. If it is not possible to do that, please let us have details of your complaint:

• within twelve months of the incident that caused the problem; or
• within 12 months of discovering that you have a problem, provided this is within 12 months of the incident.

Complaints should be addressed to the practice manager either in writing or by completing a complaints form, which is available to download at the bottom of this page or from reception. It will be a great help if you are as specific as possible about your complaint.

What will the practice do We will then be in a position to offer you an explanation, or a meeting with the people involved.

When we look into your complaint, we will 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 make sure the problem doesn’t happen again

Complaining on behalf of someone else

Please note that we adhere 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.

If you’re unhappy with our findings Other complaints related organisations you can contact the NHS Complaints Advocacy | POhWER who provide a free, independent and confidential advocacy service to support people who need help with filling in forms and writing letters for their NHS complaint.

Telephone: 03004562370 Lincolnshire: 03002000084

e-mail: pohwer@pohwer.net

Alternatively you can write to NHS England:

NHS England, PO Box 16, 738, Redditch, B97 9PT

Tel: 03003112233