Suggestions, Comments and Complaints

If you have a complaint or concern about the service that you have received from the practice or any of the staff working here, please let us know.  We operate a practice complaints procedure as part of a NHS system for dealing with complaints.

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.  Often a discussion with one of our trained Reception colleagues will enable the matter to be resolved quickly and effectively.

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.

Complaints should be made;

  • within 12 months of the matter which caused the problem; or
  • within 12 months of becoming aware you have something to complain about.

If one of our reception colleagues cannot resolve your issue, you can write to the Patient Services Manager or your practitioner if you wish to raise a concern or make a formal complaint. You may ask for an appointment with our Patient Services Manager or your practitioner to discuss your concerns. He/she will try to resolve your complaint at that time and/or explain the complaints procedure to you and make sure that your concerns are dealt with promptly. It would be helpful if you can give us specific details of what you feel went wrong and what outcome you would like.

What we shall do on receipt of a ‘formal’ complaint

We will aim to acknowledge your complaint within three working days, and offer to discuss your concerns and agree the way forward with you. We will investigate your complaint and aim to provide you with our findings within a time frame agreed with you.

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 find this helpful;
  • make sure you receive an appropriate apology;
  • identify what we can learn from your complaint and what we can do to make sure the problem doesn’t happen again in order to improve our services.

Complaining on behalf of someone else

We keep strictly to the rules of confidentiality and 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 of providing this, for example due to illness or infirmity.

 

Complaining to West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB)

If you do not feel able to raise your complaint with us you can contact our local integrated care board (ICB), although we would like you to talk to us at the practice to give us the opportunity to resolve your concerns for you in the first instance.

However, if you do not feel comfortable or believe it is inappropriate to raise your complaint directly with the GP practice, you must now contact the West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) instead of NHS England.

Email: wyicb.complaints@nhs.net

Telephone: 01924 552 150*

*Monday to Friday 9 to 5 p.m. excluding bank holidays.

In writing: Complaints Team, West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board, White Rose House West Parade, Wakefield WF1 1LT

 

Parliamentary Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO)

If you remain dissatisfied with the outcome of your complaint you can approach the PHSO. This should be done within 12 months of the final outcome. You can contact the PHSO, Millbank Tower, Millbank, London, SW1P 4QP or telephone their helpline on 0345 015 4033

Independent help and support

You may also like to contact ICAT, the Independent Complaints Advocacy Team who can offer you independent help and support in making a complaint. The telephone number to contact is 01274 750784 or by post at; ICAT, Rooms 21-29, 1st Floor, The Tradeforce Building, Cornwall Place, Bradford, BD8 7JT.