Suggestions and Complaints

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Although we try hard to give a good service, inevitably things sometimes go wrong. We hope you will let us know so that your problem can be sorted out.

• Often this can be done easily and quickly at the time it happens and with the person concerned.
• However, sometimes you may wish to make a more formal complaint and we ask that you speak to a member of the management team who will help to resolve things with you.

You can make a complaint in writing using our complaints form available from our Reception leaflet display area. The completed form should be returned to Reception or you can complete via the secure online contact us form.

Please give us as much information as you can and send your complaint to us as soon as possible.

What we shall do

Our complaints procedure is designed to make sure that we settle any complaints as quickly as possible.

We shall acknowledge your complaint within 3 working days and aim to have looked into your complaint within 10 working days of the date your complaint was received. We shall then be in a position to offer you an explanation, or a meeting with the people involved.

When we look into your complaint, we shall aim to:

• Find out what happened and what went wrong
• Make it possible for you to discuss the problem with those concerned, if you would like this make sure you receive an apology, where appropriate.
• Identify what we can do to make sure the problem doesn’t happen again.
• At the end of the investigation your complaint will be discussed with you in detail, either in person or in writing.

Complaining on behalf of someone else

Please note that we keep strictly to the rules of medical confidentiality. If you are complaining on behalf of someone else, we will require written permission from the patient that you can do so on their behalf. This must be signed by the patient concerned, unless they are incapable (because of illness) of providing this.

What you can do next

We hope that, if you have a problem, you will use our practice complaints procedure. We believe that this will give us the best chance of putting right whatever has gone wrong and the opportunity to improve our practice. However this does not affect your right to raise your complaint elsewhere or if you are dissatisfied with the way we are dealing with your complaint.

You may also contact:

• Cumbria People First: offer a free scheme to help people who live in Cumbria raise concerns and complaints about an NHS Service.
• NHS England Complaints Team
• The Department of Health: has information on the NHS complaints procedure

If you remain dissatisfied with the responses to your complaint after local resolution and independent review, then you can complain to:

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman

• Visit their website