Feedback & Complaints

 

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We strive to always provide you with the best possible service but recognise that occasionally things can go wrong.

If you have a complaint or concern about the service you have received from the team working in this practice, please let us know. Equally, people often wish to give feedback about their positive experiences, and we welcome this too.

We are continually striving to improve and openly receive your suggestions and feedback about our services.

How to give feedback

  • Use our Comments and Feedback form
  • Most people choose to give feedback verbally either at the reception or via the phone. You can ask for the “team lead” at any time and our reception team lead will be available to speak to you. If they are not available our Deputy Practice Manager or Practice Manager will be able to give you a call back within 72 hours.
  • We have feedback slips located at the reception desk if you wish to leave a note
  • You can email the practice via caversham.practice@nhs.net please include the word “Feedback” in the subject line.

All feedback will be passed on to the management team. We regularly review if there are any common themes and take this into consideration where possible.

How to make a formal complaint

We hope that most problems can be sorted out easily and quickly, often at the time that 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 the 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 six months of the incident that caused the problem

OR

  • within six months of discovering that you have a problem, provided this is within twelve months of the incident.

You can make a formal complaint by:

  • Email to caversham.practice@nhs.net Please include the word “complaint” in the subject line and address your complaint for the attention of the practice manager.
  • You can send us a letter.
  • You can fill out a complaint slip at the practice reception desk or drop in a letter via reception.
  • you can ask for an appointment with the Practice Manager to discuss your concerns. You can do this by asking for a meeting via the practice email or by calling the practice on our usual telephone number. A member of the management team will make contact with you to organise a mutually acceptable time.

Complaining on behalf of somebody else

We have a duty of confidentiality to all our patients.  If you are complaining on behalf of someone else, we have to know that you have their permission to do so. This would usually mean obtaining written authority from the patient concerned.

Can I get help and support with making my complaint?

Yes. If you require independent, confidential assistance with a complaint you can contact the Independent Complaints Advocacy Service (ICAS).

A new service was instituted by the government to assist those who wish to or are making complaints about the NHS – the Independent Complaints Advocacy Service (ICAS). In the London region, ICAS is being provided by the Citizens’ Advice Bureau. You determine how much you want from ICAS, be it advice, assistant or support. The service is free and confidential

NHS complaints advocacy

Complaining to the NHS

We hope that if you do have a complaint you will use our practice complaint procedure. We believe this will give us the best chance of resolving the issue satisfactorily and provide an opportunity for us to improve our practice. However, this does not affect your right to approach NHS England if you feel that you cannot raise the complaint directly with us or if you are dissatisfied with the result of our investigation.

As part of the management of complaints in NHS England, your information may be shared with the Commissioning Support Units. If consent is required you will be contacted direct by NHS England.

 Make a complaint to NHS England

Other means of complaining

If you are not happy with how we have dealt with your complaint, and would like to take the matter further, you can contact the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman which makes final decisions on unresolved complaints about the NHS in England. It is an independent service which is free for everyone to use. 

Making a complaint via the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman