FOREST MEDICAL
PATIENT COMPLAINTS INFORMATION LEAFLET
We always try to give you the best services possible, but there are times when you feel this has not happened.
We operate a practice complaints procedure (which meets national criteria) as part of the N.H.S. system for
dealing with complaints. This leaflet explains what to do if you have a complaint or concern about the service
you have received from the doctors or any of the staff working in this practice. At no point will you, your carer or
relative be treated adversely by the practice as a consequence of making a complaint.
We hope that most problems can be sorted out easily and quickly, often at the time they arise and with the
person concerned. 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 six months of the incident that caused the problem, or, within six months of
discovering that you have a problem, provided this is within twelve months of the incident.
Our Complaints Procedure will allow us to look into and if necessary, put right any problems you have identified
or mistakes that have been made.
If you wish to make a complaint, please write to our Practice Manager Nicola Ryan, or telephone either practice
to arrange a meeting.
We shall acknowledge your complaint within three working days and aim to conduct a full investigation and
provide you with a suitable response in a timely manner. When we look into your complaint, we shall aim to:
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Find out what happened and what went wrong.
Make it possible for you to discuss the problem with those concerned, if you wish to.
Make sure you receive an apology, where this is appropriate.
Identify what we can do to make sure the problem does not happen again.
Occasionally if we have to make a lot of enquiries, it may take longer, but we will keep you informed.
Please note that we keep strictly to the rules of medical confidentiality. If you are complaining on behalf of
someone else, we have to know that you have their permission to do so. A note signed by the person
concerned will be needed, unless they are incapable (because of illness) of providing this.
We hope that if you have a problem, you will use our practice based complaints procedure. We believe this will
give us the best chance of putting right whatever has gone wrong and the opportunity to improve our practice,
and hope you will feel satisfied that we have dealt with the matter thoroughly. But this does not affect your right
to approach NHS England if you feel you cannot raise your complaint with us OR you are dissatisfied with the
result of our investigation. We will then direct you to the appropriate authorities who will be able to help you.
Please be assured that should you feel the need to make a complaint this will not in any way effect your care or
the care of your family within the Practice. The Practice will at no point discriminate against any complainant.
Assistance with Practice Complaints can be gained from the following bodies NHS England
England.contactus@nhs.net
0300 311 22 33
PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service) 0800 028 3693
POhWER NHS Complaints Advocacy Service
www.pohwer.net