Complaints Policy

Our Complaints Procedure

Making a complaint

You may make a complaint in person or in writing to any member of staff or to the Practice Manager. 

The Practice Manager or Assistant Practice Manager handles and co-ordinates all complaints in conjunction with the Partners. We have a Clinical Complaints Lead who receives all complaints and assists with the investigation of all clinically related complaints.

If the complaint is made in person the opportunity of discussing the matter with the Practice Manager, Assistant Practice Manager or Reception Supervisor, if no managers are available at that time, is offered. If this is not possible, an alternative time/date is offered or the opportunity to discuss the matter with another member of staff (where appropriate).

Complaints can be made in person, in writing, or via our Website.

What happens next

Following this, the details may be entered into what is known as the Significant Event Analysis log until such time as the details can be investigated properly. A Significant Event is an event whereby we can change/improve things as a result and/or involves a training issue.

If the complaint is not a Significant Event, then a Complaint File is opened. Not every complaint is a Significant Event, however, the procedure described here is applicable for dealing with either a complaint or a significant event. We are committed to taking on board feedback from complaints and use this procedure to shape how we communicate things that have happened and how we can improve as a result.

Where possible, the practice manager, within 3 working days of receipt of your complaint, will make contact with you to advise you that we are investigating the matter and, if appropriate, we can offer a meeting to discuss your concerns. This is then followed up with a further letter with full details of the investigation of the problem and what action has been taken or will be taken as a result.

It may be that on first notification of a complaint, a telephone call is appropriate to discuss the matter and clarify the details – if this is the case, the relevant doctor/partner or Practice/Duty Manager will attempt to make contact by telephone. If this is not relevant or possible, then a letter or email will be sent out.

You can also direct your complaint to NHS Kent and Medway Patient Experience Team:

Where appropriate, we also offer the involvement of additional services which can help, such as:

All our complaints and/or significant events are taken to the next partners meeting where they are discussed with all the partners, minuted, actioned and a review date set. They may also be discussed at the next most relevant meeting i.e a staff meeting or a clinical meeting where the  relevant details are shared with all of the appropriate members of staff. Any actions agreed are put into place and the review conducted if it has been deemed necessary.

Following investigation and the meetings ( including the meeting between us and the complainant )  we will write to you to confirm what action has been taken and what was discussed and agreed. 

The Health Service Ombudsman

The Health Service Ombudsman has published a booklet that describes the ‘six principles for  remedy’ in relation to complaints handling and involves: 

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

If you remain unhappy after everything has been done to try to resolve your concern or complaint, you have the right to approach the Ombudsman. 

However, before considering taking this step, we hope you would let us know what aspect of the complaint has not been dealt with satisfactorily and provide an opportunity for us to consider whether there is anything further that could be done locally to resolve matters.

On an annual basis, a Complaints Return is completed for the Department of Health which collects data regarding the number of and nature of complaints made throughout the year (none of the detail or patient data is collected).