How to make comments, suggestions and complaints

Talk to us
Every patient has the right to make a complaint about the treatment or care they have received at Highcliffe Medical Centre.

We understand that we may not always get everything right and, by telling us about the problem you have encountered, we will be able to improve our services and patient experience.

We welcome your comments, both positive and negative, as these let us know when we are doing things right for you, our patients, and show us where there is room for improvement.
This leaflet explains how you can make these suggestions; comments or complaints about services provided and\or staff members at Highcliffe Medical Centre.

Letters of Appreciation
If you are happy with the care you have received, or a service by any of our staff, please let us know.
Letters or emails can be sent to the Operations manager Sasha Venables or any of the Doctors and are always appreciated.

Suggestions
If you have any suggestions for making changes or improvements to the way we provide our services, please email Operations Manager, Sasha Venables here.

How to make 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 couple of days as this will enable us to establish what happened more easily. A complaint can be made verbally or in writing.

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Time frames for complaints
The time constraint on bringing a complaint is 12 months from the occurrence giving rise to the complaint, or 12 months from the time you become aware of the matter about which you wish to complain.
The complaints manager will respond to you within three business days to acknowledge your complaint.
We will aim to investigate and provide you with the findings as soon as we can and will provide regular updates regarding the investigation of your complaint.

Making a complaint on behalf of someone else
Please note that we adhere fully to the rules of medical confidentiality. Therefore if you are complaining on behalf of someone else you must have their written permission to do so. Our complaints form contains a section which provides consent where necessary.

Confidentiality
We will ensure that all complaints are investigated with the utmost confidentiality and that any documents are held separately from the patient’s healthcare record.

Final response
We will issue a final formal response to all complainants which will provide full details and the outcome of the complaint. We will liaise with you about the progress of any complaint.

A complaints form is available from reception. Additionally, you can complain via letter or email to our complaints manager:

• Practice Manager
• Highcliffe Medical Centre
• 248 Lymington Road
• Highcliffe
• Dorset
• BH23 5ET

• Email our Practice Manager by clicking here

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The Practice will deal with the complaint in a timely and efficient manner. The method and process of the investigation will be agreed with the practice and the complainant. You will then receive a written report of the outcome of the investigation and, where appropriate, any changes the Practice has made relative to the complaint.

If the complainant and the Practice feel that it would be useful a meeting at the surgery will be offered to discuss the matter with a member of the Management Team and, if necessary, one or more of the doctors.

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Not sure what to do
If you have a query or concern but are not sure if you want to make a complaint, or how to go about the process, you can speak to:

• PALS
• Dorset Healthwatch
• Independent health complaints advocacy

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NHS complaints procedure:

We hope that if you have a problem that you will use our in house complaints procedure and that the response you receive will be satisfactory. However if you do not wish to complain directly to the practice you can address your complaint to NHS Dorset at:

• NHS Dorset ICB NHS Dorset,
• County Hall,
• Colliton Park,
• Dorchester,
• Dorset,
• DT1 1XJ
• Tel: 01305 368926
• Email here

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Further action:

If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of your complaint from either Highcliffe Medical Centre or NHS Dorset, then you can escalate your complaint to Parliamentary Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) at: PHSO:

• Milbank Tower,
• Milbank,
• London,
• SW1P 4QP
• Tel: 0345 015 4033
• Website

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Care Quality Commission

The CQC doesn’t handle individual complaints about GPs, but you can still share your experience with them if you wish. You can contact the CQC in the following ways:

• Telephone: 03000 616161
• Email here
• Online form: Complain about a service or provider