PATIENT INFORMATION LEAFLET
Practice Complaints Procedure
If you have a complaint or concern about the service 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. Our complaints system meets national criteria.
How to Complain
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 ask 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 6 months of the incident that caused the problems;
- Within 6 months of discovering that you have a problem, provided this is within 12 months of the incident.
Complaints should be addressed to Margaret Smyth or any of the doctors, alternatively you may ask for a telephone call from Margaret in order to discuss your concerns. She will explain the complaints procedure to you and will make sure that your concerns are dealt with promptly. It will be a great help if you are as specific as possible about your complaint.
What We Shall Do
We shall acknowledge your complaint within 2 working days and aim to have looked into your complaint within 10 working days of the date when you raised it with us. We shall then be in a position to give you an explanation, or offer a meeting with those involved. In investigating your complaint we shall aim to:
- find out what happened and what went wrong;
enable you to discuss the problem with those concerned, if you would like this;
ensure 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 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.
Complaining to the NHS Board
We hope that, if you have a problem, you will use our practice complaints procedure. We believe this will give us the best chance of putting right whatever has gone wrong and an opportunity to improve our practice. But this does not affect your right to approach the local NHS Board, if you feel you cannot raise your complaint directly with us. You may contact the Health Board
Independent Advice and Support
Citizens Advice Scotland operate a free Independent Advice and Support Service (PASS) for users of NHS services. If you would like to access this service, you should telephone 0800 917 2127 or via any Citizens Advice Office.
What if you remain unhappy
If you remain unhappy following our investigation and response you may seek a review by the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman. Contact details are as follows
Scottish Public Services Ombudsman
Bridgeside House
99 McDonald Road
Edinburgh
EH7 4NS
Phone 0800 377 7330
If you would like to request a Freepost envelope, please contact us on 0800 377 7330
Website: www.spso.org.uk