Practice Complaint Procedure

If you have a complaint about the service you have received from any member of staff working in this practice, please let us know. The practice operates a Complaint Procedure as part of the NHS system for dealing with complaints. Our complaints system meets national criteria.

Note: If you make a complaint it is practice policy to ensure you are not discriminated against or subjected to any negative effect on your care, treatment or support.

How to Complain

In the first instance please discuss your complaint with the staff member concerned. Where the issue cannot be resolved at this stage, please contact Susan Mckenzie - Practice Manager who will try to resolve the issue and offer you further advice on the complaint procedure. If your problem cannot be resolved at this stage and you wish to make a formal complaint please let us know as soon as possible, ideally within a matter of days. This will enable the Practice to get a clear picture of the circumstances surrounding the complaint.

If it is not possible to raise your complaint immediately, please let us have details of your complaint within the following timescales:

• within 12 months of the incident that caused the problem; OR
• within 12 months from when the complaint comes to your notice.

The Practice will arrange a meeting with you to discuss the complaint, to agree with you how the complaint is going to be investigated and the timescale for this to be completed.

When the Practice looks into your complaint, it aims to:-

• ascertain the full circumstances of the complaint;
• make arrangements for you to discuss the problem with those concerned, if you would like this;
• make sure you receive an apology, where this is appropriate;
• identify what the Practice can do to make sure the problem does not happen again.

If you are not happy with the resolution of your complaint, you can contact the Ombudsman -

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman

Millbank Tower

Millbank

London, SW1P 4QP

Email - phso.enquiries@ombudsman.org.uk

Complaining On Behalf of Someone Else

Please note that Rudgwick Medical Centre keeps strictly to the rules of medical confidentiality.  If you are complaining on behalf of someone else, the Practice needs to know that you have their permission to do so.  A note signed by the person concerned will be required, unless they are incapable of providing this due to illness or disability.