Introduction

Our aim is to provide the highest level of care to all our patients.

We are constantly trying to improve the services we offer. If you have any suggestions as to how we can do this, please tell us. We value your opinions.

We hope that most problems can be sorted out easily and quickly, often at the time they arise and with the person(s) concerned. If there is something that concerns you, please let us know. We believe that this will not only give us the opportunity to resolve your concern, but also to learn from the experience and improve our practice.

Alternatively for help and advice about complaints you can contact the Patient Advisory Liasion Service (PALS) 0208 487 6322 or e-mail them on pals@wpct.nhs.uk

However, if your problem cannot be resolved this way, you are entitled to make a formal complaint.

Complaint Procedure

Any formal complaint you wish to make can be accepted verbally or in writing, and should be addressed to the Practice Manager, Helen Wolak-Lloyd. However, if you feel that the doctor is the most appropriate person to approach, please feel free to do so.

Please provide us with as much information as you can to help us with our investigation into your complaint.

It is important to bring your concerns to our attention as soon as possible, ideally within a matter of days or, at most, a few weeks. This will enable us to establish what happened with more ease, as it will still be fresh in people’s minds. However, if this is not possible, please let us know:

• Within 12 months of the incident, the cause of the problem or concern
• Within 12 months of discovering that you have a concern

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Complaining on Behalf of Someone Else

We abide by strict rules of confidentiality. If you are complaining on behalf of someone else, you need to have their permission to do so in writing. A note signed by the person concerned will be sufficient.

If the patient is incapable of providing written consent, the reason must be stated. Complaints on behalf of children under 16 years may be made by their parents or legal guardians.

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What Will Happen

If your complaint is in writing, you can expect to receive an acknowledgement within 3 working days. If your complaint is verbal, you can expect to receive a written acknowledgement within 3 working days, with a factual statement of what is perceived to be the complaint.

Any complaint that you make will be investigated, and you will receive a written report from the Practice Manager within 10 working days. This report will outline the outcome of the investigations and, where appropriate, the steps taken to ensure that the situation does not recur.

If it is considered to be appropriate by all parties, you will be invited to the surgery to discuss the matter with the Practice Manager and, where appropriate, one or more of the doctors. You will then receive a written statement from the practice of the discussion and the outcome. Where other parties are involved, you will be kept informed as to the steps being taken to obtain their statements and, where appropriate, you will receive an apology.

Streatham Park Surgery will strive to deal with complaints in a methodical and efficient manner in order to bring an equitable resolution to your concern. All complaints are considered to be a significant event, and are brought to the attention of the team at the next available practice meeting. Please be assured that your anonymity and confidentiality will be maintained; we simply discuss the events that led to the complaint and explore suggestions as to how we can avoid a recurrence. This is an essential part of our audit process for improving the delivery of our services.

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What Happens if I am Not Satisfied?

We sincerely hope that any complaint you have about the practice can be dealt with through our complaints procedure. We acknowledge that there may be times when you feel that approaching the practice is inappropriate, or that you may not be happy with the results of the complaints procedure. If this is the case, you have the right to complain to the Patient Advice and Liaison Service based at Wandsworth PCT. They provide confidential advice and support, helping you to deal with any concerns you may have about the care we provide, and will guide you through the NHS complaints procedure. Their details are as follows:

Ms Shona Ruff
Patient Services Manager
Wandsworth Primary Care Trust
Wimbledon Bridge House
Hartfield Road
London  SW19 3RN

Tel: (020) 8812 7640
Fax: (020) 8812 7780
E-mail: patientservices@wpct.nhs.uk

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What Happens if I am Still Not Satisfied?

If you remain dissatisfied with the responses to your complaint through this procedure, you have the right to ask for an independent review by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman for the NHS.

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman for the NHS has the freedom to respond more flexibly and responsively to your complaint. However, dissatisfaction about the outcome of the complaints process is insufficient cause for the Ombudsman to investigate. You will be required to give reasons as to why you remain dissatisfied with the outcome of your complaint and demonstrate that:

• You have suffered a continuing hardship or injustice
• There is a reasonable prospect of achieving a worthwhile outcome

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