Suggestions, Comments and Complaints

Making a Complaint

Complaints Managers: Zeaul Karim

We welcome all comments on the services provided by the Practice. We are continually looking to turn out patients’ feedback into real improvements in the services we provide. We use it to focus on the things that matter most to our patients, carers and their families. The doctors and staff at The New Surgery are committed to providing high quality healthcare and services to patients.

Share your Feedback with us

We would like to hear from you if you have a suggestion on how we can do things better to improve our patients’ experiences. We’d also like to hear from you if you are pleased with the service you’ve received. We’ll let the staff involved know and share the good practice across our teams. We will respond to your feedback if you decide to leave your contact details, and we will also use your feedback to improve.

How to complain

We aim to resolve any complaints and concerns easily and quickly, and if possible at the time they arise with the person concerned.

If your complaint or concern cannot be resolved immediately and if you wish to make a complaint, please provide us with details of your complaint as soon as possible so we can establish the issues in a timely manner. If it is not possible to do so, please provide us with details of your complaint:

  • within 12 months of the incident that caused the problem OR
  • within 12 months of discovering that you have a problem

Complaints should be addressed to the Complaints Manager. Alternatively you may ask for an appointment with the Complaints Manager in order to have your concerns dealt with promptly.

You may submit your complaint in writing by post or at reception, or you can complete our  complaints form.

We believe that any complaint you have about the practice can be dealt with by those responsible for ensuring patient care and delivery of service within the practice, but we recognise that you may feel uncomfortable with doing so or that you may be unhappy with the result of our complaints procedure. You have the right, therefore, to alternatively complain to NHS England on 0300 311 22 33.

What we will do

We will contact you about your complaint within three working days and aim to have looked into your complaint within 10 working days of the date when you raised it with us. We will then be in a position to offer you an explanation or a meeting with the person or people involved. When we investigate your complaint we will aim to:

  • find out what happened and what went wrong
  • invite you to discuss the problem with those involved, if you have requested this
  • make sure you receive an apology where appropriate
  • identify what we can do to make sure that the problem does not happen again

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 note signed by the person concerned will be needed unless they are incapable (i.e. due to illness) of providing this.

Getting help

If you require independent support with your complaint, you can contact the Independent Complaints Advocacy Service (Voiceability) on 0300 330 5454 or via email on nhscomplaints@voiceability.org

If  you  prefer,  you  can  phone  or  write  to  the  complaints department at NHS England. Their staff will aim try to sort out complaints and can make enquiries on your behalf. The contact details are: Tel: 0300 311 22 33 | Email: england.contactus@nhs.net

If you are not satisfied

If you are not satisfied with the way we have dealt with your complaint, you can contact the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman to review your case on 0345 015 4033 or via their website: www.ombudsman.org.uk. The Ombudsman is an independent body established to promote improvements in healthcare through the assessment of the performance of those who provide service.