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Feedback and complaints

We are continually looking to turn patient feedback into real improvements in the services we provide. We use it to focus on the things that matter most to our patients, carers and their families.

Giving feedback

To provide feedback:

Making a complaint

We aim to provide you with the best possible medical service. At times you may feel that we have not achieved this and want to make your feelings known. Most problems can be sorted out quickly and easily, often at the time they arise with the person concerned and this may be the approach you try first.

Where you are not able to resolve your complaint in this way and wish to make a formal complaint you should do so, preferably within writing, as soon as possible after the event and ideally within a few days as this helps us to establish what happened more easily.

The period for making a complaint is normally:

  • 12 months from the date on which the event which is the subject of the complaint occurred
  • 12 months from the date on which the event which is the subject of the complaint comes to the complainant’s notice

If you are a registered patient, you can complain about your own care.

Complaints can be sent in writing to:

Claremont Medical Centre
Glenbuck Road
Surbiton
Surrey
KT6 6BS

Complaining on behalf of someone else

We keep to the strict rules of medical and personal confidentiality.

If you wish to make a complaint but are not the patient involved, we will require the written consent of the patient. This is to confirm that they are unhappy with their treatment and that we can deal with someone else about it.

Please ask at reception for a complaints form which includes a statement of authority that the patient can sign. Where the patient is incapable of providing consent due to illness or accident, it may still be possible to deal with the complaint. Please provide the precise details of the circumstances which prevent this in your covering letter. Please note that we are unable to discuss any issue relating to someone else without their express permission, which must be in writing, unless the above circumstances apply.

Confidentiality

All complaints must be treated in the strictest confidence.

Where the investigation of the complaint requires consideration of the patient’s medical records, the practice manager must inform the patient or person acting on his or her 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 surgery must keep a record of all complaints and copies of all correspondence relating to complaints but such records must be kept separate from the patient’s medical records.

The surgery has an annual review of complaints received within the year and the learning issues or changes to procedures which have arisen are documented.

We hope that you are happy with the service we provide here at Claremont Medical Centre, however if you have a complaint or concern, please let us know.

How to complain

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.

There are two ways you can complain about NHS services:

  • Directly with ourselves

Or

  • Directly to the Commissioner of the service (South West London Integrated Care Board (SWLICB)

Please note you cannot complain to both.

Complaints to the practice can be made by contacting the practice directly or by completing the Feedback and Complaints triage form.

An acknowledgement of your complaint will be sent within 3 working days. All complaints/concerns will be fully investigated within 10 working days. We will then send you a written response with a report on the investigation as soon as possible.

If we are not able to meet the response deadline, we will contact you to advise why and negotiate another timescale.

If you are not satisfied with the way we have dealt with your complaint, you can contact the Health Service Ombudsman on 0345 015 4033. The website is: www.ombudsman.org.uk.