Practice Complaints Procedure
Patient feedback is important to us as it helps us to improve the service we provide to patients. We take patient complaints seriously and will attempt to address your concerns to your satisfaction.
How do I make a complaint?
Complaints may be made verbally or in writing:
Complaints made verbally can be taken by any member of the practice. If your complaint cannot be resolved immediately by that person, it will be referred to the Reception Manager.
If your complaint cannot be resolved verbally in discussion with a member of the management team, the complaint can then be addressed in writing to the Group Practice Manager at the following address:
Riverside Retford
Riverside Walk
Retford
Notts
DN22 6FB
Tel: 01777 713330
For more information, please click here to read our Complaints Leaflet.
If you are complaining on behalf of someone else, the practice needs to know that you have their permission to do so.
What Happens Next?
The complaint will be acknowledged within 3 working days. The practice will respond, after investigation, within the timeframe specified to you at the acknowledgement stage of the process. Some complaints may take longer to address but you will be informed of a response time. If this cannot be met, the practice will keep you informed.
Please be assured making a complaint will not adversely affect your ongoing healthcare at the practice. We will deal with you fairly, compassionately and will endeavour to resolve the situation to a satisfactory conclusion.
Wherever possible, we aim to learn from complaints and take action to avoid similar occurrences.
How do I complain to someone Independent?
GP Practices would prefer to have the opportunity to answer complaints ourselves in the first instance. However, you may pass your complaint directly to:
Patient Experience Team
Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Board
Civic Centre
Arnot Hill Park
Nottingham Road
Arnold
Nottingham
NG5 6LU
Tel: 0115 8839570
Email: nnicb-nn.patientexperience@nhs.net
If you would like further information please follow the link to the ICB website: Patient Experience and Complaints – NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB
However, please note, patients cannot raise the same complaint with the practice and ICB.
Is there a time limit?
A complaint must be made within 12 months of the date of the incident that caused the problem or the date of discovering the problem. Please remember, the quicker you complain, the easier it will be to investigate the facts.
If you are not satisfied with the outcome?
You can contact the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) on 0345 015 4033.
For more information see their website www.ombudsman.org.uk
Other useful contacts
POhWER, NHS Complaints Advocacy, on 0300 456 2370. For more information see their website www.pohwer.net