Comments & Complaints

 

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The doctors and staff at this practice are committed to providing high quality healthcare and services to patients.

If you have a suggestion, complaint or concern about the service you have received from the practice, please let us know.

We operate a complaints procedure as part of the NHS system for dealing with complaints. The practice complaints procedure meets national criteria.

 

The Practice follows 6 principles when dealing with complaints:

  1. Getting it right
  2. Being open and accountable
  3. Putting things right
  4. Being customer focused
  5. Acting fairly & proportionately
  6. Seeking continuous improvement
 

How to complain

It is best to talk to a reception member of staff about any concerns or problems as soon as they arise and we will try and sort them out.

If you wish to make a complaint, there are various ways you can raise a complaints

  1. Ask to speak to the reception supervisor on the day
  2. Book a telephone appointment with the Management team through the reception team. The management team holds a clinic every Wednesday and this can be either over the phone or in person.
  3. Use the 'contact us' form which is on our website and which can be found here Contact Us Form (amershamvale.co.uk) 
  4. Provide details of your complaint as soon as possible in writing for the attention of the Practice Manager so we can find out what happened.

All written complaints will be dealt with within 6 weeks from date of receipt of the complaint.

You need to make your complaint within 12 months of the incident that caused the problem OR within 12 months of discovering that you have a problem relating to a specific incident

The Practice Manager has overall responsibility for the complaints system though your complaint may be assigned to another member of the team to deal with.

Our staff will explain the complaints procedure to you and make sure that your concerns are dealt with promptly.

You need to make your complaint within 12 months of the incident that caused the problem OR within 12 months of discovering that you have a problem relating to a specific incident.

The Practice Manager has overall responsibility for the complaints system though your complaint may be assigned to another member of the team to deal with.

 

Complaining on behalf of someone else

Medical records are protected by the Data Protection Act 1998. If you are complaining on behalf of someone else we need to know that you have their permission to do so. A letter signed by the person concerned will be needed unless they are incapable (e.g. due to illness) of providing this. 

 

What we will do

We will send out a holding letter to your home address within three working days and offer to discuss with you the best way to investigate it, including the time scales for a reply. We try to reply to all complaints within 6 weeks, but sometimes it can take up to and over 6 months depending on the nature of the complaint and whether we need to involve our medical legal team. Note: we only send complaints via post to your home address on your records. If there is a delay in responding to your complaint, we will advise you as soon as possible.

We will aim to:

  • Find out what happened and what went wrong.
  • Invite you to discuss the problem with those involved, if you would like this
  • Apologise, where this is appropriate.
  • Identify what we can do to make sure that the problem does not happen again.

If you feel that the practice was unable to resolve your issues then you can get in contact with (NHS South East London ICB), contact details below.

 

Useful Contacts

If you feel that the practice was unable to resolve your issues then you can get in contact with NHS South East London ICB and the contact details below.

Useful Contacts

 

Healthwatch Lewisham

Waldram Place, Forest Hill

SE23 2LB

Email: advocacy@healthwatchlewisham.co.uk

Tel: 02038860196

 

NHS South East London Intergrated Care Board

Who are the South East London Integrated Care Board

Email: contactus@selondonics.nhs.uk

Tel: 0800 328 9712

 

Lewisham Citizens Advice Bureau
Tel: 0844 826 9691

If you are not satisfied

If neither body helps resolve the issue, you have the right to approach the Ombudsman.

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
Millbank Tower
Millbank
London SW1P 4QP

Tel:  0345 015 4033

Website