Complaints Procedure Policy
Complaints Policy
Vine Medical Centre
2024
Contents
Roles, rights, and responsibilities. 4
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The purpose of this policy is to provide guidance for staff and assurance to patients that The Vine Medical Centre is committed to continually providing high quality healthcare for all patients and supporting the staff who provide this care. The aim of the policy is to provide all staff with an outline of how we handle complaints.
All patients regardless of age, gender, ethnic background, culture, cognitive function, or sexual orientation have the right to have their privacy and dignity respected.
Scope
This policy applies to all employees of The Vine Medical Centre, contractors, seconded staff, placements, and agency staff.
Roles, rights, and responsibilities
All staff
All staff have a responsibility to understand the practice complaints process and policy.
All staff should understand who is best placed to handle any complaint, likely to be the practice manager or senior member of the team.
Practice manager/designated person
To update the policy, ensure that it is aligned with national guidelines, distribute appropriately, and ensure that staff are trained at induction and at regular intervals so that they are aware of the principles of handling complaints and the content of the practice policy.
The practice manager is the person who will handle the receipt, communication to complainant, the recording of the detail, investigation, and distribution of any finding from the complaint.
The practice manager will also escalate where appropriate and put in place any learning and areas for mitigation or avoidance of any future complaints of a similar nature.
Principles of this policy
This policy adheres to local and national guidance and policy including the Parliamentary and Health Care Ombudsman principles of Good complaint handling and the NHS Complaints process.
A complaint can be made by:
• Any person who receives or has received services provided by the organisation or a person acting on their behalf, provided consent has been received.
• Any person who is affected or likely to be affected by the action, omission, or decision of the organisation that is the subject of the complaint.
If it is felt that the person making the complaint on behalf of another person is not doing so in the best interests of the other person, the complaint must not be considered under the regulations and written notification must be given to the representative stating the reason for the decision.
In handling the complaint, we expect that the person making the complaint is entitled to:
· Have their complaint acknowledged and properly investigated.
· Be kept informed of progress and informed when there is an outcome.
· Be treated fairly, politely, and with respect throughout the process.
· Have confidence that their care and treatment will not be affected as a result of making a complaint.
· Have the opportunity to discuss the complaint with a manager.
· Expect appropriate action to be taken following the complaint.
According to the Parliamentary and Health Care Ombudsman the principles of good complaint handling are as follows:
• Acting fairly and proportionately.
• Seeking continuous improvement.
In practice this means that we will ensure that our process:
- Is timely (first response will be within 3 working days) and includes frequent updates for the complainant, likely when significant updates are made in the process.
- Includes local resolution meetings sensitively handled between complainant and relevant practice staff, if and when appropriate.
- Is documented, followed up, and actions taken where appropriate.
- Is submitted as KO41A reports to NHS Digital.
- Is communicated to the complainant and an explanation of what impact this will have on changes at the practice given.
Time limit to make a complaint.
A complaint should be made as soon as possible after an event and not more than 12 months after the date the matter complained about occurred, or the date that the patient/client was aware of the event. The time limit can be extended if there were good grounds for not making the complaint earlier and it is still possible to investigate the complaint fairly and effectively.
Confidentiality
All complaints will be treated in the strictest confidence.
Duty of candour
As a practice we understand our responsibilities relating to the statutory duty of candour.
As such the registered person will notify the relevant person as soon as reasonably practicable after becoming aware that a notifiable safety incident has occurred.
This will be done in person by one or more representatives of the registered person (usually a GP and a practice manager).
As part of this we will provide an account which will be accurate and will contain all the facts the registered person knows about the incident as at the date of the notification.
We will also advise the relevant person what further enquiries into the incident we believe to be appropriate to fully comply with our responsibilities under the duty of candour.
This will include an apology and will be recorded in a written record that will be kept securely by the registered person.
Distribution
Employees will be made aware of this policy via TeamNet.
Patients will be made aware of this policy using patient leaflets and on the practice website.
Training
All staff will be given training on handling complaints at induction and annually thereafter.
Any training requirements will be identified within an individual's Personal Development Reviews. Training is available in the Training module within TeamNet.
Equality and diversity impact assessment
In developing this policy, an equalities impact assessment has been undertaken. An adverse impact is unlikely, and on the contrary the policy has the clear potential to have a positive impact by reducing and removing barriers and inequalities that currently exist.
If, at any time, this policy is considered to be discriminatory in any way, the author of the policy should be contacted immediately to discuss these concerns.
Access to medical records
Where the investigation of the complaint requires consideration of the patient's medical records, the complaints officer must inform the patient or person acting on their behalf if the investigation will involve disclosure of information contained in those records to a person other than the practice or an employee of the practice.
The practice will keep a record of all complaints and copies of all correspondence relating to complaints, but such records must be kept separate from patients' medical records.
A consent form should be sent if the person making the complaint is not the patient and there is a need to disclose confidential information within the response.
Monitoring and reporting
Monitoring and reporting in relation to this policy are the responsibility of the practice manager.
The following sources will be used to provide evidence of any issues raised:
· PALS.
· Complaints.
· Significant and learning events.
Any incidents relating to complaints will be monitored via incident reporting.
We aim to give a friendly and professional service to all our patients. However, if you have any concerns about any aspect of our service, please let us know.
Speak to whomever you feel most comfortable with – your GP, our practice manager or our reception staff will be happy to help. In the majority of cases, concerns can be resolved quite easily. However, if you feel we have not dealt with the issues you have raised as you would wish, you can contact NHS Frimley ICB
Telephone: 0300 561 0290
Email: frimleyicb.southeastcomplaints@nhs.net
Post:
South East Complaints HNHS Frimley ICB
Aldershot Centre for Health
Hospital Hill
Aldershot
Hampshire
GU11 1AY
Versions
Document review history
Version number
Author/reviewer
Summary of amendments
Issue date
1.0
Clarity Informatics
Policy written
7.5.2020
2.0
Iona Sutherland
General Updates
8.2.2024
3.0
4.0
5.0
6.0
7.0