Your views are important to us!
As a practice we believe it is important to hear the views of our patients on the services they receive. We appreciate all forms of feedback as it is a valuable way of seeing what is working and what can be improved with regards to the practice and the services we offer. Feedback from the people that use our services is even more valuable. We look at the feedback on a regular basis. This includes doctors, managers, nurses, administrative and reception staff. We take your comments very seriously to help us improve the way we work.
In order to improve our services we gather feedback from a number of sources, for example, the national patient survey and Friends and Family Test. You can complete the Friends and Family Test on the home page.
You can provide your feedback in the following ways:
Written feedback can be brought in and handed to reception.
You can email the practice with any feedback you have at any time on leccg.
The Friends and Family Test (FFT) is an important feedback tool that supports the fundamental principle that people who use NHS services should have the opportunity to provide feedback on their experience.
Listening to the views of patients and staff helps identify what is working well, what can be improved and how. The FFT asks people if they would recommend the services they have used and offers a range of responses.
The FFT drives service improvement and has resulted in a number of revisions to the way we work, for example being able to access your full medical record online. National scores so far have told us that at least nine out of ten patients respond positively on their experience. Patient comments also identify areas where improvements can be made so that providers can make care and treatment better for everyone.
Please watch the video to find out more.
This practice operates a complaints procedure in accordance with NHS guidelines.
Whilst we are always pleased to receive comments in appreciation of our services, we acknowledge that we do not always get it right. We treat complaints seriously and want to ensure that we learn from them, taking action to improve our service. Our aim is to provide the highest standards of service and we welcome your feedback
Who can complain?
You can complain if you are a patient or if you have been affected, or are likely to be affected, by something ‘Greyfriars Surgery’ has done or not done. You can also complain on behalf of someone else if you have his or her permission in writing.
Will my complaint be kept confidential?
If you are complaining about a treatment, yes, but in order to deal with your complaint, the Practice Manager, GP, person you complain to or the person you complain about will have to obtain the relevant information from your records. If you don’t want them to do this, you should let the Practice Manager know.
We also assure you that your care and service provision will not be negatively affected by the fact that you have made a complaint.
How to raise a concern or a complaint
First, please ask to speak to a member of Greyfriars staff as soon as you can. This could be the Practice Manager, the GP, Nurse or a member of the administration team. They will listen to your concerns and alert the Practice Manager to ensure these are investigated and addressed appropriately.
However, if you want to make a written complaint, you can do this by writing to the Practice Manager or completing one of our Complaints forms:
When we receive your complaint it is assessed and we identify who should lead the investigation, this will normally be the Practice Manager and a GP. We aim to acknowledge receipt of your complaint initially and then agree an investigation plan and an appropriate timescale for completion of our investigation and the reply to you.
When the Practice Manager telephones you on receipt of your complaint they will:
- verify the complaint issues that you want investigating.
- establish the investigation time required and agree a timescale for completion of the investigation.
- consider meeting or writing in response to your complaint.
Where appropriate we will offer you an early face-to-face meeting with the relevant staff to discuss your concerns. We have found this to be very helpful in resolving issues early on.
If there are issues that are not responded to then we will be happy to look again at the case and try and provide any further information, or arrange to meet with you to attempt further resolution.
Sources of support for Patients
POhWER
Pohwer support anyone to make a complaint about the service, care or treatment provided to you by the NHS
- Support you to make a complaint on someone else's behalf, including if someone has died.
- Listen to your concerns
- Signpost you to the right organisation in the right area if we think that we are not the right organisation for you
- Answer questions about the complaints procedure and explain your options
- Provide step by step guide to the complaints process and some tips
- Provide you with a POhWER advocate, an experienced worker who can help you make your complaint and support you through the process
- Support a young person under 16 if they have capacity to reach their own decisions. If a child does not have the capacity to make a decision about their treatment, only a parent or guardian may complain on behalf of their child without permission
Telephone: 0300 456 2370Minicom: 0300 456 2364Text: send the word 'pohwer' with your name and number to 81025Email: pohwer@pohwer.netFax: 0300 456 2365Post: write to 'Pohwer', PO Box 14043, Birmingham B6 9BL
Taking it further
Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
If you remain dissatisfied with the outcome of your complaint you may refer the matter to:
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman,Millbank Tower,London,SW1P 4QPTelephone: 0345 0154033Ombudsman website link
Complaining on behalf of someone else
We keep strictly to the rules of medical confidentiality (a separate leaflet giving more detail on confidentiality is available on request). If you are not the patient, but are complaining on their behalf, you must have their permission to do so. An authority signed by the patient concerned will be needed, unless they are incapable (because of illness or infirmity) of providing this.
Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
If patients need advice that does not constitute a complaint being made, they can contact PALS. A confidential service to:
- advise and support patients, families and carers
- provide information, and signposting, to NHS services
- listen to concerns, suggestions or queries and pass to service managers
- help to resolve problems quickly on behalf of the enquirer
This service does not handle complaints but acts as a contact point to enable guidance for patients, and can often direct them to the appropriate organisation or member of staff best placed to deal with queries raised. PALS will inform Lincolnshire Community Health Services and NHS Lincolnshire of the outcome of all contacts to facilitate the improvement of services.
Please ring: 0845 602 4384