We make every effort to give the best service possible to everyone who attends our practice.
However, we are aware that things can go wrong resulting in a patient feeling that they have a genuine cause for complaint. If this is so, we would wish for the matter to be settled as quickly, and as amicably, as possible. Please view our complaint procedure which will give guidance on how to make a formal complaint. If you wish to email your complaint to nencicb-ng.receptiona86018gmg@nhs.net our reception team email is monitored daily.
Alternatively you can submit your complaint via our practice website, please read the following information and complete the form at the end.
PATIENTS COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE
We aim to provide patients with the best care we can, but there is the chance that we may sometimes fall short of the mark. If you have any compliments, comments, concerns or complaints about our service, we want to hear about it. This leaflet will tell you what to do if you need to complain about any of the services we offer.
WHO CAN COMPLAIN?
You can complain about something that has happened to you or about another person’s treatment, if they are a child or where a patient has died.We keep strictly to the rules of patient confidentiality. If you are making a complaint on behalf of someone else, we need to know you have their permission to do so. In order to process the complaint we need to have their permission in writing, unless they are unable to because of death, illness or incapacity. Please be re-assumed your care at the practice will not be compromised if you submit a complaint.
TIME LIMITS
We hope that most problems can be sorted out quickly and easily at the time they arise and with the person concerned. If the 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. Usually complaints can only be investigated if they are made either within 12 months of the incident that caused the problem or within 12 months of you realising that you have something to complain about. These time limits can be waived if there are valid reasons why you could not submit a complaint sooner.
ADVOCACY SERVICES
If you feel you need help with making a complaint there are Advocacy Services which can help give you free, confidential and independent support with making your complaint. Advocates are independent professionals who are trained to support you and they do not work for the surgery or the NHS.Please see below contacts of organizations in our region who provide NHS complains advocacy:
North East ICA
Room 312, Floor 3
Adrian House
Sunderland Road
Gateshead NE8 3HU
Overview – ICA (North East NHS Independent Complaints Advocacy) – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
Healthwatch Newcastle (Tell us North)
MEA House, Ellison Place, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 8XS
0800 178 9282
INVESTIGATING YOUR COMPLAINT
We aim to complete our investigation into your complaint within a reasonable time scale. If we find it is not going to be possible to complete our investigation in a timely manner, we will update you verbally or in writing to explain the reason for the delay.When we investigate your complaint we aim to
¨ Find out what happened and what went wrong.
¨ Make it possible for you to discuss the problem with the complaints manager, if you wish.
¨ Make sure you receive an apology, where this is appropriate.
¨ Identify what we can do to make sure the problem does not happen again.
WHO TO COMPLAIN TO
Complaints can be made verbally, via this form or in writing (this includes via email) and addressed to:
Claire Atkinson
The Grove Medical Group
1 The Grove
Gosforth
NE3 1NU
We hope that if you have a problem you will use our in-house practice complaints procedure. We believe this will give us the best chance of putting right whatever has gone wrong and improving our practice.
YOUR RIGHTS WHEN MAKING A COMPLAINT
You have the right to:
¨ Have any complaint dealt with efficiently and properly investigated.
¨ Know the outcome of any investigation into your complaint.
We shall acknowledge your complaint within 3 days, this may be orally or in writing. Then we will look at:
¨ Details of all parties and how they can be contacted.
¨ The issues that need to be addressed.
¨ The planned outcomes.
¨ How the responses will be provided. How the practice will provide follow-up on any action or measures taken as a result of a patient complaint as a means of continuous improvement.
WHAT THE PRACTICE WILL DO
We shall acknowledge your complaint within 3 days, this may be orally or in writing. Then we will look at:¨ Details of all parties and how they can be contacted.¨ The issues that need to be addressed.
¨ The planned outcomes.
¨ The time-scale for the investigation.
¨ How the responses will be provided. How the practice will provide follow-up on any action or measures taken as a result of a patient complaint as a means of continuous improvement
OPTIONS – WHO YOU CAN SEND YOUR COMPLAINT TO
We appreciate the option to investigate your complaint but you are able to submit your complaint elsewhere if you wish. As of 1 July 2023, the patient or your nominated representative may now submit a complaint either to their local Intergraded Care Board (ICB) or to the practice.
Information on how to make a complaint to North East and North Cumbria ICB can be sought from its webpage Compliments and complaints | North East and North Cumbria NHS (northeastnorthcumbria.nhs.uk)
Or can make a complaint by calling 0191 512 8277, emailing necsu.complaints@nhs.net, or in writing to:
Primary Care Complaints Team
North East and North Cumbria ICB
Riverside House
Goldcrest Way
Newburn Riverside Business Park
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE15 8NY
Please Note— Neither The Grove Medical Group or the ICB will investigate any complaint should this have been responded to by the other organisation. If you are dissatisfied with the response by The Grove Medical Group or North East and North Cumbria ICB they can then you can contact
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO)
Telephone: 0345 015 4033.
Complaint forms | Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO)
YOUR COMPLAINT
