Comments & Complaints
Patient Feedback
Your input to the running of the Westgate Practice is invaluable and your comments, good or bad, are therefore most welcome. We use this Practice Compliaints Procedure to deal with your concerns and complaints about the service we provide. We also have a mechanism to deal with compliments, suggestions or minor concerns. Our aim is to give you the highest posssible standard of service and we try to deal swiftly with any problems that may occur.
How to make a complaint
If you are concerned about any aspect of our services, be it in relation to a doctor, nurse or other member of our team, please let us know.
We view this as a way for us to monitor and improve the quality of service that this practice provides. We operate the practice complaints procedure as part of the NHS system for dealing with complaints and our system meets all national criteria.
Talk to a member of our team who will try to sort out your concern on the spot.
If you do not feel able to do this you can complain in writing, in person or by telephone. Please contact us as soon as possible as this will enable us to investigate what happened more fully. If you have any specific information such as dates, times and names this also helps in our investigation.
Who to complain to
Complaints should be directed to Mrs Lorne Thomson, our Practice Manager, or to any of the partners of the Practice. Lorne will be happy to make an appointment to speak with you to discuss your concerns.
Complaining on behalf of someone else
Please be aware that we can not breach the rules of medical confidentiality. If you are complaining on behalf of someone else we shall require their consent to inform you of the outcome of our investigations.
What we shall do
We shall acknowledge your complaint within 3 working days either by telephone or in writing. We shall make every attempt to investigate and respond to that complaint within 10 working days. However, if the issues are complex or staff members are on leave this may take a little longer. We may write or offer you a meeting with the people involved.
The purpose of the NHS Complaints procedure is to:
- Find out what happened and what went wrong
- Provide an apology where this is appropriate
- Identify ways in which similar problems can be prevented
If you feel that we have not responded to your concerns fully please do not hesitate to come back to us to discuss these further. However, if you feel this is not possible, please contact the Patient Advice and Liason Service or the complaints team at South Staffordshire Primary Care Trust.
What we shall not do
At no point will the fact that you have made a complaint be recorded in your medical record. All issues you raise will be treated in the strictest confidence and will not affect your current or future care.
Advice and Support For You
If you would like to speak to someone for advice or help with making a complaint or if you find it difficult to make a complaint yourself and want someone to speak for you, you can contact the local independent advice and support service (ICAS)
Compliments and Suggestions
It is always appreciated when compliments are received and,as with complaints, we use this as a way of learning for the future. When we recieve a compliment we share this with the team and encourage individuals to work to the high standards that your compliment has acknowledged. Please forward any complimets for the attention of our Practice Manager or one of the partners.
Equally your suggestions can help us change our processes and we often make minor changes to our administration systems following patient input. Please forward any suggestions to our Practice Manager of Office Manager.
The Health Service Ombudsman
The Health Service Ombudsman has published a booklet that describes the ‘six principles for remedy’ in relation to complaints handling and involves:
- Getting it right
- Being customer focused
- Being open and accountable
- Acting fairly and proportionately
- Putting things right
- Seeking continuous improvements
If you remain unhappy after everything has been done to try to resolve your concern or complaint you have the right to approach the Ombudsman.
Tel: 0345 015 4033
Email: phso.enquiries@ombudsman.org.uk
Write: Millbank Tower, Millbank, London SW1P 4QP.
Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
The NHS employs over a million staff in thousands of locations. It is a large and complex organisation providing a broad range of services. It is not surprising that sometimes you or a loved one may feel bewildered or concerned when using the NHS. And this can be at times when you are feeling at your most vulnerable and anxious.
So, what should you do if you want on the spot help when using the health service? The NHS expects all members of staff to listen and respond to you to the best of their ability. But sometimes, you may wish to talk to someone employed especially to help you. The Patient Advice and Liaison Service, known as PALS, has been introduced to ensure that the NHS listens to patients, their relatives, carers and friends, and answers their questions and resolves their concerns as quickly as possible.
PALS also helps the NHS to improve services by listening to what matters to patients and their loved ones and making changes, when appropriate.
What does PALS do?
In particular, PALS will:
- Provide you with information about the NHS and help you with any other health-related enquiry
- Help resolve concerns or problems when you are using the NHS
- Provide information about the NHS complaints procedure and how to get independent help if you decide you may want to make a complaint
- Provide you with information and help introduce you to agencies and support groups outside the NHS
- Inform you about how you can get more involved in your own healthcare and the NHS locally
- Improve the NHS by listening to your concerns, suggestions and experiences and ensuring that people who design and manage services are aware of the issues you raise
- Provide an early warning system for NHS Trusts and monitoring bodies by identifying problems or gaps in services and reporting them.
Find out more
If you would like more information about PALS, the functions it is intended to provide and the standards it should strive to achieve , follow this link.