Suggestions and Complaints

Suggestions and Feedback

We welcome feedback from our patients. Where we receive positive feedback, we will always ensure that this is passed to the appropriate person/team. You may also have feedback about how we can improve our service or do things different, and we welcome ideas and suggestions. If you wish, you can pass any feedback or ideas via the Friends and Family Test or via our Patient Participation Group.

Complaints

If you are not happy with any aspect of the care that you have received here, please let us know so that we can investigate the matter and take steps to put it right. We take all complaints seriously and we try to learn from any complaints so we can improve the service.

Most problems can be sorted out quickly and easily, often at the time they arise, with the person concerned and this may be the approach that you try first.

How to complain

You can make complaints in any of the following ways:

By telephone – please call the practice on 020 8763 5620 and ask to speak to the Practice Manager. If the Practice Manager is not available, our staff can take your details and arrange for the appropriate person to contact you to resolve and address your concerns.

In writing to – The  Practice Manager, Woodcote Medical, 32 Foxley Lane, Purley, CR8 3EE

By Email - please send us an email, marked for the attention of the Practice Manager to swlccg.wmwebsite@nhs.net

Please give us as much information as possible about the nature of your complaint, including what, where and when it happened and wherever possible, the name and job title of any staff member involved in the complaint.

Our Practice Manager will make sure that your complaint is acknowledged and investigated fully.

Timescales for making a complaint

It is important that you make your complaint as soon as possible after the date of the event that you wish to complain about. Complaints should be received within 12 months of the event or within 12 months of you realising that you have something to complain about. These time limits may be waived if there are good reasons why you did not complain earlier. However, the longer the delay between the event and the complaint being made, the more difficult it becomes to secure a satisfactory reply.

Complaining on behalf of someone else

We keep strictly to the rules of medical confidentiality. If you are not the patient, but are complaining on their behalf, you must have their permission to do so. An authority signed by the person concerned will be needed, unless they are incapable (because of illness or infirming) of providing this. A third party consent form is available at the surgery reception.

When will I hear from you?

We will contact you within 3 working days of receiving your complaint to acknowledge it and make arrangements to resolve and address your complaint to your satisfaction. It is therefore very helpful if you could provide a daytime telephone number for us to contact you on. At this time, we will also discuss the timescales for responding to your concerns.

What will you do about my complaint?

Our reply to you will show you how we have listened to and investigated your concerns. This might mean giving an apology, explaining what changes and improvements we will make or detailing any further action proposed.

Can I take my complaint further?

If you are not satisfied with our response to your complaint, you can ask for a meeting with us to explain or clarify our response or discuss other possible resolution options.

If your complaint cannot be resolved locally with the Practice Manager, you can contact NHS England at:

NHS England, PO Box 16738, Redditch, B97 9PT

Tel: 0300 311 2233 Email: England.contactus@nhs.net

If, after this, you still feel that your concerns have not been resolved, you have the right to ask the Health Service Ombudsman to review your case:

The Health Service Ombudsman, 11th Floor, Millbank Tower, Millbank, London, SW1P 4QP

Tel: 020 8217 4940 Website: www.ombudsman.org.uk

Further Information

For more information about making a complaint, please speak to the Practice Manager on 020 8763 5620.

If you need independent advice or support about your complaint you can contact the Independent Complaints Advocacy Service (ICAS) on 0845 120 3784.

Lead Partner for Complaints: Dr A Butt

Practice Manager: Mrs K Nash

Downloadable Complaints Leaflet