Practice Complaints
The Practice welcomes comments, compliments and concerns. We aim to provide the best care we can, however, we know that sometimes things can go wrong. When this happens we believe that it is often most effective to sort problems out quickly and informally. Please talk to any member of staff if you have a problem or concern.
We operate a Practice Complaints Procedure as part of an NHS System for dealing with complaints. Our complaints system meets the relevant National criteria.
The Practice uses the knowledge gained to improve the services we offer to our patients.
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. However, 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, because this will allow us to establish what happened more easily.
If it is not possible to let us do that, please let us have details of your complaint within 6 months of the incident or within 6 months from the point of discovery of the problem, as long as this is no more than 12 months since the incident.
Complaints should be addressed to:
Complaints Officer
The Grange Medical Centre
Highfield Road
Hemsworth
Pontefract
West Yorkshire
WF9 4DP
Alternatively, please contact the Complaint’s Officer directly on 01977 624263.
Complaining on Behalf of Somebody Else
Please note that we adhere to the Code of Medical Confidentiality. If you are complaining on behalf of someone else, we must have their written permission before we are able to investigate the complaint.
What Shall We Do?
We shall acknowledge receipt of your complaint in writing within 3 working days and will aim to investigate your complaint and provide a response within 28 working days.
Some complaints however are more complex than others and may need additional time to ensure that all investigations are completed fully. If this is the case we shall write to you within the 28 working-day timescale to advise you that we are still carrying out our investigations and will continue to contact you, each time within 28 working days of the previous contact, either to provide a detailed response to your complaint or to issue an additional holding letter.
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
If You Do Not Wish to Complain Directly to the Practice
If you have a problem, we hope you will liaise with the Practice in the first instance. We believe that this will give us the best chance of putting right whatever has gone wrong. However, this does not affect your right to approach Wakefield CCG (Clinical Commissioning Group), NHS England, Healthwatch Wakefield or the NHS Complaints Advocacy Service.
Wakefield CCG
- Wakefield CCG (Clinical Commissioning Group)
- Telephone: 01924 315803
- Email: Contactus@wakefieldccg.nhs.uk
- Post: The Governance Team,
White Rose House,
West Parade,
Wakefield,
West Yorkshire,
WF1 1LT
NHS England
- Post -
NHS England
PO Box 16738
Redditch
B97 9PT
- Email - england.contactus@nhs.net (Please state: ‘For the attention of the complaints team’ in the subject line).
- Telephone – 0300 311 22 33
Opening hours are:
- Monday – Tuesday 8am to 6pm
- Wednesday 9.30 am to 6pm
- Thursday – Friday 8am to 6pm
The telephone line is closed over weekends and bank holidays.
Healthwatch Wakefield
- Telephone - 01924 787379
- Post:
11-13 Upper York Street
Wakefield
West Yorkshire
WF1 3LQ
The NHS Complaints Advocacy Service
The NHS Complaints Advocacy Service is a free and independent service that can help you make a complaint about the National Health Service (NHS).
The NHS Complaints Advocacy Service is:
- Free
- Independent
- Confidential
The service can help the complainant to understand the NHS Complaints process and give advice and support when making a complaint. If the complainant does not feel comfortable making a complaint by him/herself, or they require additional support at any point during the complaints process, then the NHS Complaint’s Advocacy Service can provide that support. The service is designed to assist complainants at each stage of the process, interpreting and explaining mattes to and on behalf of the complainant.
The NHS Complaints Advocacy Service can be contacted in the following ways:
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
Otherwise, you may ask the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman to review your case. The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman can look into complaints about services provided through the NHS in England. They can be contacted in the following ways –
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
Millbank Tower
Millbank
London
SW1P 4QP
Further information is available on their website at www.ombudsman.org.uk.