Plashet Harmony Practice Complaints procedure
Receiving of complaints
The Practice may receive a complaint made by, or (with his/her consent) on behalf of a patient, or former patient, who is receiving or has received treatment at the Practice, or:
(a) where the patient is a child:
- by either parent, or in the absence of both parents, the guardian or other adult who has care of the child;
- by a person duly authorised by a local authority to whose care the child has been committed under the provisions of the Children Act 1989;
- by a person duly authorised by a voluntary organisation by which the child is being accommodated
(b) where the patient is incapable of making a complaint, by a relative or other adult who has an interest in his/her welfare.
All complaints, written and verbal will be recorded, and written complaints will be acknowledged in writing within 3 working days of receipt. Patients will be encouraged to complain in writing where possible. The reply to the patient should be made within 20 working days, or the patient should be provided with an update and an estimate timescale.
Period within which complaints can be made
The period for making a complaint is normally:
(a) 12 months from the date on which the event which is the subject of the complaint occurred; or
(b) 12 months from the date on which the event which is the subject of the complaint comes to the complainant’s notice.
The Complaints Manager or lead GP has the discretion to extend the time limits if the complainant has good reason for not making the complaint sooner, or where it is still possible to properly investigate the complaint despite extended delay.
When considering an extension to the time limit it is important that the Complaints Manager takes into consideration that the passage of time may prevent an accurate recollection of events by the clinician concerned or by the person bringing the complaint. The collection of evidence, Clinical Guidelines or other resources relating to the time when the complaint event arose may also be difficult to establish or obtain. These factors may be considered as suitable reason for declining a time limit extension.
Action upon receipt of a complaint
Complaints may be received either verbally or in writing and must be forwarded to the Complaints lead, (or the nominated person), who must:
- acknowledge in writing within the period of 3 working days beginning with the day on which the complaint was made or, where that is not possible, as soon as reasonably practicable. Include an offer to discuss the matter in person. The discussion will include agreement with the patient as to how they wish the complaint to be handled.
- Advise the patient of potential timescales and the next steps.
- provide a written response to the patient as soon as reasonably practicable ensuring that the patient is kept up to date with progress as appropriate. Where a response is not possible within 20 working days provide an update report to the patient with an estimate of the timescale. The final reply will include a full report and a statement advising them of their right to take the matter to the Ombudsman if required.
Final Response
This will include:
- A clear statement of the issues, investigations and the findings, giving clear evidence-based reasons for decisions if appropriate
- Where errors have occurred, explain these fully and state what will be done to put these right, or prevent repetition
- A focus on fair and proportionate the outcomes for the patient, including any remedial action or compensation
- A clear statement that the response is the final one, or that further action or reports will be send later
- An apology or explanation as appropriate
- A statement of the right to escalate the complaint, together with the relevant contact detail
The following information should also be provided in the final response, where applicable:
Independent Advice and Advocacy support
You can get free support, at any time, from your local independent complaints advocacy service.
Newham
This is provided by Healthwatch Newham NHS Complaints Advocacy Service which is an Independent Complaints Advocacy Service. You can contact them by telephone:- 020 3828 8245 or by email:advocacy@healthwatchnewham.co.uk.They can write letters for you and help you present your case, if you wish.
I hope the above information has provided answers to the concerns you raised, however if you are not happy with my final response to your complaint and would like to take the matter further, you can contact the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO). The Ombudsman makes final decisions on complaints that have not been resolved by the NHS, government departments and some other public organisations. The service is free for everyone.
To take a complaint to the Ombudsman, go to www.ombudsman.org.uk/making-complaintor call 0345 015 4033. It is important that you make the complaint as soon as you receive our final response, as there are time limits for the Ombudsman to look into complaints.
The Ombudsman may be contacted as follows:
In writing to:
Millbank Tower
Millbank
London
SW1P 4QP
Telephone: 0345 015 4033
Email: phso.enquiries@ombudsman.org.uk
If patients do not wish to complain directly to the practice, they can contact the commissioners please find their contact details:
Complaints Team
NHS North East London
Email: nelondonicb.complaints@nhs.net
Telephone : 0208 221 5750
Unfortunately, the NHS complaints regulations do not allow for a complaint to be re-investigated by NHS North East London in circumstances where the complainant has already received a response from a provider
Review of Complaints
The complaints will be reviewed regularly in the practice meetings and the learnings shared.
Confidentiality
All complaints must be treated in the strictest confidence
Where the investigation of the complaint requires consideration of the patient’s medical records, the Complaints Manager must inform the patient or person acting on his/her behalf if the investigation will involve disclosure of information contained in those records to a person other than the Practice or an employee of the Practice.
The practice must keep a record of all complaints and copies of all correspondence relating to complaints, but such records must be kept separate from patients’ medical records.