Author: Parker Helena (Cheddar Medical Centre)

HOW TO COMPLAIN
We hope that most problems can be sorted out easily and quickly, often at the time they arise and with the person concerned. If your problem cannot be sorted out in this way and you wish to make a complaint, we would like you to let us know as soon as possible- ideally, within a matter of days or at most a few weeks- because this will enable us to establish what happened more easily.
If it is not possible to do that, please let us have details of your complaint:
Within 6 months of the incident that caused the problem; or
Within 6 months of discovering that you have a problem, provided that this is within 12 months of the incident
Complaints should be addressed to:
Mrs Pauline Drummond
Practice Manager
Alternatively, you may ask for an appointment with Mrs Drummond to discuss your concerns. She will explain the complaints procedure to you and will make sure that your concerns are dealt with promptly. It will be a great help if you are as specific as possible about your complaint.

Cheddar Medical Centre

Roynon Way
Cheddar
BS27 3NZ

Phone: 01934 742061
E-mail: cheddarmc.chedmed@nhs.net
www.chedmed.co.uk

CHEDDAR MEDICAL CENTRE

PRACTICE COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE

Dr J.C. Howard,
Dr C Scott, Dr A Adiat, Dr H Lai,
Dr T Brimecombe & Dr J Maynard

PRACTICE COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE
If you have a complaint or concern about the service you have received from the doctors or any of the staff working at this practice, please let us know. We operate a practice complaints procedure as part of an NHS system for dealing with complaints. Our complaints system meets national criteria.
WHAT WE WILL DO
We will acknowledge your complaint within three working days and aim to respond to your complaint within 28 days of the date when your raised it with us. We will then be in a position to offer you an explanation, or a meeting with the people involved. When we look into your complaint, we aim to:
Find out what happened and what went wrong;
Make it possible 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 we can do to make sure that the problem does not happen again.

COMPLAINING ON BEHALF OF SOMEONE ELSE
Please note that we keep strictly to the rules of medical confidentiality. If you are complaining on behalf of someone else, we will require written permission from the patient (unless they are unable to provide this) before we can discuss details of their care with you.
DO YOU WISH TO ESCALATE YOUR COMPLAINT?
We hope that, if you have a problem, you will use our practice complaints procedure as this will give us the best chance of putting right whatever has gone wrong and an opportunity to improve our practice. However this does not affect your right to escalate your concern to an external body, if you feel you cannot raise your complaint with us or you are dissatisfied with the result of our investigation.
You should contact either:
NHS England welcomes concerns, compliments and complaints as valuable feedback that will help us continue to improve our services. You can contact them at:
NHS England PO Box 16738 Redditch B97 9PT
Email: england.contactus@nhs.net
If you are making a complaint please state: ‘For the attention of the complaints team’ in the subject line.
By telephone: 0300 311 22 33
Opening hours: 8am-6pm Monday to Friday, except Wednesdays when the office is open 9.30am-6pm.

Or
Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
Millbank Tower
Millbank
London
SW1P 4QP
Tel: 0345 015 4033
Email: phso.enquiries@ombudsman.org.uk
Or
The Independent Complaints Advocacy Service (ICAS). This is an independent service which can help you make a formal complaint about your NHS practitioner. You can contact your local ICAS office direct, or through
NHS managers at hospitals and GP practices
NHS Direct
the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS).
Contact numbers for local ICAS offices are:
South West: 0845 120 3782