Complaints Procedure
BLOFIELD SURGERY
For feedback in either the form of a complaint or a compliment
Telephone, write or e-mail the practice (nwicb.blofield.reception@nhs.net)
Or use our online form which can be found here
Practice Complaints Procedure
If you have a complaint or concern about the service that you have received from the doctors or any of the staff working in this practice, please let us know.
We operate an informal in-house complaint procedure as part of a NHS system for dealing with complaints. This procedure does not deal with matters of legal liability or compensation.
Our complaints system meets the national criteria and does not affect your right to make a formal complaint to the Norfolk Health Authority or to seek compensation in law.
In some cases the in-house procedure is not the appropriate form of investigation, in which case, you will be referred to the appropriate independent authority.
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 12 months of the incident that caused the problem; or
¨ Within 6 months of discovering that you have a problem provided this is within 12 months of the incident.
Complaints should be addressed to the Practice Manager or any doctor in the Partnership, who will ensure that it is investigated thoroughly and speedily. It will be a great help if you are as specific as possible about your complaint.
What we shall do
We shall acknowledge your complaint within three working days and we will conduct a thorough investigation into your concerns. Once we have completed this, we will provide a written response as soon as reasonably practicable ensuring that you are kept up to date with progress as appropriate.
We shall then be in a position to offer you an explanation, or a meeting with the people involved. When we look into your complaint, we shall 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 the problem doesn’t 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 have to know that you have his or her permission to do so. A note signed by the person concerned will be needed, unless they are incapable, because of illness, of providing this.
Other avenues available
Alternatively, if you feel that your complaint cannot be resolved locally at the practice, you can raise your complaint to NHS Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board (ICB) as the commissioner of General Practice services in our area.
You can raise a complaint with NHS Norfolk and Waveney ICB by:
• Telephone: 01603 595857
• Email: nwicb.complaintsservice@nhs.net
• Post: NHS Norfolk and Waveney ICB, County Hall, Martineau Lane, Norwich, NR1 2DH
For more information about NHS Norfolk and Waveney’s Complaints process, please visit their website at https://improvinglivesnw.org.uk/about-us/our-nhs-integrated-care-board-icb/complaints/
Please note that you cannot raise the same complaint to both organisations.
If you remain unhappy having contacted the practice you may contact the Customer Contact Centre @ NHS England via any method below:-
Email: england.contactus@nhs.net
Telephone: 0300 311 22 33
Address: NHS ENGLAND
PO BOX 16738
REDDITCH
B97 9PT
Complaining to the Ombudsman
We hope that, if you have a problem, you will use our practice complaint procedure. We believe this will give us the best chance of putting right whatever has gone wrong and an opportunity to improve our practice. If you remain dissatisfied with the response to your complaint, you have the right to approach the Ombudsman to review your case.
Contact details are;
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
Millbank Tower
Millbank
London
SW1P 4QP
Tel 0345 0154033