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 an appropriate manager of the management team, such as the Reception Manager.
If your complaint is made in writing, the complaint can be addressed to the Group Practice Manager at the following address:
Riverside Retford
Riverside Walk
Retford
Notts
DN22 6FB
Tel: 01777 713330
Complaints must be made within 12 months of the date of the incident that caused the problem or the date of discovering the problem. The quicker you complain, the easier it will be to investigate the facts.
What Happens Next?
We will always attempt to resolve verbal complaints verbally, by discussing your concerns, answering any questions and providing an agreed solution.
Written complaints will be acknowledged within 5 working days and investigated accordingly. Some complaints may take longer to address but you will be informed of a response time. Likewise, if the practice cannot conduct a fair investigation, you will be informed of this.
Please know that making a complaint will not adversely affect your ongoing care at the practice. We will continue to deal with you fairly and compassionately, with the aim to provide a satisfactory resolution.
Riverside aim to learn from complaints and take action to avoid reoccurrences.
Complaining on behalf of another person
If you wish to make a complaint on behalf of another person, the practice needs to be informed that you have their permission to do so.
Complaining Independently
The practice 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
Sir John Robinson House
Sir John Robinson Way
Arnold
Nottingham
NG5 6DA
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.
If you are not satisfied with the outcome?
Should you be dissatisfied with the result of a practice investigation and response, 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
NHS Complaints Advocacy Service
Telephone – 0300 456 2370 (charged at local rate)
Email – nhscomplaints@pohwer.net
Website – www.powher.net