We welcome feedback from patients about our service. It is encouraging to receive compliments but also important that we learn from your experience to make improvements.

PRACTICE COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE 

If you have a complaint or concern about the service you have received from Doctors or Staff working in this Practice, please let us know. We operate a Practice complaints procedure as part of a NHS system for dealing with complaints. Our complaints procedure meets national criteria.  

HOW TO COMPLAIN: 

We have a complaints manager (Lindsay McAdam)  who will assist you with your complaint. All complaints are to be made in writing and can be sent via this website, by post or hand your written complaint to the receptionist at our front desk.

Please contact us 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.

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 further down. 

BEFORE YOU MAKE A COMPLAINT:

It is important to let us know what your concerns are and what you want to happen as a result of your complaint. You may want:

• An apology
• Someone to explain what has happened
• Some changes or improvements to be made
• To make sure people recognise their mistakes
• To make sure the same thing does not happen again

WHAT WE WILL DO:

We look to settle complaints as soon as possible.

Upon receipt of the complaint we aim to have looked into the matter within 10 working days. You will then 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. 

The final response 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.

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. 

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 permission, which must be in writing, unless the circumstances above apply.

IF YOU FEEL UNABLE TO APPROCH THE PRACTICE: 

Northampton Integrated Care Board (ICB) will look at your concerns: 

Telephone - 01604 476777

Email - northantsicb.patientexperience@nhs.net

PALS - The Patient Advice and Liaison Service is based at Northampton General Hospital who provide confidential advice and support, helping you to sort out any concerns you may have, guiding you through the different services available from the NHS.

Telephone: 01604 545784
An answer phone facility is available out of hours / during busy periods and we will respond to any messages as soon as we can.

Email: ngh-tr.pals@nhs.net