Complaints Procedure

Our aim is to provide the highest level of care for all our patients. We will always be willing to hear if there is any way that you think that we can improve the service we provide.

Making a complaint

If you have any complaints or concerns about the service that you have received from the consultants, doctors or staff working at Knapton House, please let us know.

We hope that most problems can be sorted out easily-and quickly, often at the time they arise and with the person concerned and not later than the next working day.

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 12 months of discovering that you have a problem.
• However, discretion can be used if you have good reason for a delay in complaining and if it is still possible to investigate the complaint fairly and effectively.

The Practice Manager will be pleased to deal with any complaint. He or she will explain the procedure to you, if needed, and make sure that your concerns are dealt with promptly. You can make your complaint:

In person — ask to speak to the Practice Manager.

In writing — some complaints may be easier to explain in writing — please give as much information as you can, then send your complaint to Knapton House for the attention of the Practice Manager as soon as possible.

What We Will Do

Our complaints procedure is designed to make sure that we settle any complaints as quickly as possible.

We shall acknowledge your complaint within 3 working days of receipt and aim to provide a full response within 28 working days thereafter.

Issue 1 Complaints Policy and Procedure

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 appropriate.
• identify what we can do to make sure the problem doesn’t happen again.

At the end of the investigation, you will receive a full written reply and/or be invited in to discuss our findings if the complaint is complex.

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, Knapton House must be satisfied that there are reasonable grounds for this method of representation and that the third party is genuinely acting in the best interest of the individual. If we are no.t satisfied that this is the case, we will •inform the representative in writing, stating the reasons for this decision.

What You Can Do Next

We hope that, if you have a problem, you will use our practice complaints procedure. We believe that this will give us the best chance of putting right whatever has gone wrong and the opportunity to improve our practice.

However, this does not affect your right to ask the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman to review your case. The Ombudsman is an independent body established to promote improvements in healthcare through the assessment of the performance of those who provide service. You can write to them at:

The Health Service Ombudsman
Millbank Tower
Milbank
LONDON
SWIP 4QP

Telephone: 03450 154033