Complaints Procedure

We operate a Practice complaints procedure, as part of an NHS complaints system, which meets national criteria. 

If you have a complaint or concern about the Practice, please complete the complaints form which you can be obtained online via our website. We recommend you put your complaint in writing as we then have a clear audit trail.

The Practice complaints manager is Tania Fidler Practice Manager.

Make a complaint

How to complain

We hope that we can sort most problems out easily and quickly, often at the time they arise, and with the person concerned. If you cannot resolve your complaint in this way and wish to make a formal complaint, please do so as soon as possible. Please complete a complaints form, which is available on our website. You should be as specific and concise as possible.

• It should be submitted within 12 months of the incident that caused the problem;
• or within 12 months of discovering that you have a problem.

We will accept additional emails and/or letters in relation to your complaint as supporting evidence only.

Complaining on behalf of someone else 

We keep strictly to the rules of medical confidentiality. If you are not patient, but are complaining on their behalf, you must have their permission to do so. A letter signed by the person concerned will be needed, unless they are incapable (because of illness or infirmity) of providing this.

A section is available on our complaint form for this purpose. 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 precise details of the circumstances which prevent this in your covering letter.

What we will do

We look to settle complaints as soon as possible. We will acknowledge your complaint within 3 working days and discuss with you the best way to investigate it, including the timescales for a reply. We aim to have fully investigated within 10 working days of the date it was received. If we expect it to take longer, we will explain the reason for the delay and tell you when we expect to finish.

When we investigate your complaint, we will investigate the circumstances and attempt to see what happened and why. You may then receive a formal reply in writing or be invited to meet with the person(s) concerned to attempt to resolve the issue (if you would like to do so). We will make sure you receive an apology or explanation if this is appropriate and take steps to make sure any problem does not arise again by identifying learning issues and any necessary changes to procedures. Where errors have occurred, we will explain these fully and state what will be done to put these right and prevent repetition. 

You will receive a final response setting out the result of any Practice investigations, and this will include details of your right to escalate the matter further if you remain dissatisfied with the response. 

When your complaint involves more than one organisation we will liaise with that organisation so that you receive one co-ordinated reply. We may need your consent to do this. Where your complaint has been sent initially to an incorrect organisation, we may seek your consent to forward this to the correct person to deal with. 

Data protection complaints process 

For patients wishing to raise a complaint about how their data is used or accessed, please complete the complaints form, which is available on our website. You should be as concise and specific as possible when completing the form.

In line with the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, the practice has 30 days to acknowledge your complaint, which will usually be done by sending you an email, to confirm receipt of your complaint. If you have an alternative method of communication that you would like to receive confirmation that we have received the complaint, please state this clearly on the complaints form.

The practice will start to investigate the concerns raised as soon as we have received and acknowledge receipt of the concerns raised.  Whilst the investigation is under way, we will keep you informed and updated on the progress of the investigation, in relation to the concerns you have raised.

The practice has a total of 3 calendar months to investigate and fully respond to the concerns you have raised from the initial complaint being received however the practice will endeavor to respond as soon as we are able to but this will depend on the complexity of the concerns raised.  When the investigation is complete, the practice will send a written response to you, usually by email, unless a different method of communication has been requested. 

The practice will store this complaint information on record for 6 years, in line with the ICO (Information Commissioners Office) requested timeline for keeping concerns raised about accessing and the use of data. The ICO on occasion may ask the practice for details about the complaints that they have received in relation to the Data Act 2025 and the practice will be obligated to provide this information to them however the information provided will not be patient identifiable.

If you are not satisfied with the response the practice has given in relation to the Data Act complaint you have raised, then you can contact the ICO directly on their website and it will ask you to complete a form.

Complaining to NHS England

We hope that, if you have a problem, you will use our complaints procedure. This will give us the best opportunity of putting right whatever has gone wrong and help to improve our practice. However, this does not affect your right to approach your local integrated care board (ICB), who commission our service or the Parliamentary and Health Ombudsman, who is independent of government and the NHS.

You may also complain directly to the local integrated care board (ICB):

Where can I get more advice and help? 

The NHS Complaints Advocacy service can also help provide advice and support, helping you to sort out any concerns you may have about the care we provide, also guiding you through how to make a complaint or express a concern about NHS services. In London this service is provided by Voiceability who can be contacted on:

• Helpline: 0300 303 1660
• Visit the Voiceability website