Complaints Policy

Making a complaint

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 in writing as soon as possible after the event and ideally within a few days, as this helps us to establish what happened more easily. In any event, this should be:

• within 12 months of the incident, or
• within 12 months of you becoming aware of the matter

Please give as much detail as you can.

If you are a registered patient you can complain about your own care. You are unable to complain about someone else’s treatment without their written authority. See the separate section below.

We are able to provide you with a separate complaints form to register your complaint as well as a third-party authority form to enable a complaint to be made by someone else. Please ask at reception for this or click the links below. You can provide this in your own format providing this covers all the necessary aspects.

Send your complaint to

Complaints Manager
Parklands Surgery
4 Parklands Road
Chichester
West Sussex
PO19 3DT

The practice Complaints Manager is Jen Capelin.

Advice on using Artificial intelligence [AI] tools when making a complaint

arklands Surgery encourages patients to let us know if you have any feedback about the care and service we provide. If you feel you have cause to complain please let us know verbally as in line with NHS England’s complaint guidance, we would like the opportunity to resolve any issues quickly and informally in the first instance. Any member of staff can assist you. However, you can contact the practice directly in writing if you prefer.

Some people choose to use AI to assist them in writing letters or emails. If you do, it will not affect the way the practice manages your complaint and seeks to address your concerns. The practice also recognises that sometimes AI can help people organise their thoughts and what they want to say.

Unfortunately, AI generated complaints can also be:

• Longer and more complicated than is necessary to say what you want to say.
• Use formal or legal language which may make the complaint more difficult to understand.
• Refer to information, such as guidelines, legal rights or responsibilities which are out of date, inaccurate, and not relevant to what has happened to you.

These factors may create delays in responding to your complaint or mean the practice may need to contact you to clarify the points you want to make.

The most helpful complaints are usually in your own words, and tell the practice:

• What happened to you.
• When and where did it happen.
• Who was involved, including any practice staff (the practice will give you this information) and other members of your family and people who support you.
• How did what happened affect you and anyone else.
• What would you like to happen as we seek to address your concerns and resolve the matter.

In most cases there is no need to write a long, complicated or formal letter to say this.

If you do use AI the practice recommend you spend time reviewing your letter or email to check that:

• The correspondence accurately reflects what has happened to you.
• Remove any information that is repetitive or not relevant. At this stage it is very unlikely references to the law or national or local guidance will assist in handling your complaint and these can be addressed at a later date if necessary.

The Public Service Ombudsman oversees complaints within the NHS and has provided the following guidance which may assist you in terms of helping an AI tool understand what you want it to do.

Learn more about using AI to help write your complaint

What we do next

We look to settle complaints as soon as possible.

We will acknowledge receipt within 3 working days, and aim to have looked into the matter and respond within 28 working days. You may  receive a formal reply in writing, or you may be invited to meet with the person(s) concerned to attempt to resolve the issue. If the matter is likely to take longer than this we will let you know, and keep you informed as the investigation progresses.

When looking into a complaint we attempt to see what happened and why, to see if there is something we can learn from this, and make it possible for you to discuss the issue with those involved if you would like to do so.

When the investigations are complete your complaint will be determined and a final response sent to you.

Where your complaint involves more than one organisation (e.g. social services) we will liaise with that organisation so that you receive one coordinated 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.

The final response letter will include details of the result of your complaint and also your right to escalate the matter further if you remain dissatisfied with the response.

If you need help

The Independent Health Complaints Advocacy Service (IHCAS) is a free service which offers independent advocacy support should you need it when considering making a complaint. They can be contacted at the following:

Tel: 0300 012 0122
Email: helpdesk@healthwatchwestsussex.co.uk

The Billingshurst Community Centre,
Roman Way,
Billingshurst,
West Sussex,
RH14 9QW

For more information visit the IHCAS and Healthwatch West Sussex website

Complaining on behalf of someone else

We keep to the strict rules of medical and personal confidentiality. If you wish to make a complaint and are not the patient involved, we will require the written consent of the patient to confirm that they are unhappy with their treatment and that we can deal with someone else about it. Please ask at reception for the Complaints Form which contains a suitable authority for the patient to sign to enable the complaint to proceed.

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 circumstances above apply.

We may still need to correspond direct with the patient, or may be able to deal direct with the third party, and this depends on the wording of the authority provided.

If you are dissatisfied with the outcome

You have the right to approach the Public Service Ombudsman.

The contact details are:
Public Service Ombudsman,
Millbank Tower,
Millbank,
London,
SW1P 4QP

• Tel: 0345 0154033
• Visit the Ombudsman website