How to complain

It is best to tell a member of staff about any concerns or problems as soon as they arise and we will try and sort them out. If you wish to make a complaint, please let us have details of your complaint in writing as soon as possible so we can find out what happened. You can ask to speak with the Practice Manager in order to discuss your concerns.  They will explain the complaints procedure to you and make sure that your concerns are dealt with promptly. It helps us if you can give us as full details as possible about your complaint.

You need to make your complaint within 12 months of the incident that caused the problem OR within 12 months of discovering that you have a problem relating to a specific incident.

You can make a complaint by filling in a contact submission form, any forms that are not complaints related will be redirected appropriately.

What we will do

We will contact you about your complaint within three working days and discuss with you the best way to investigate it, including the time scales for a reply. We will aim to offer you an explanation within that time frame, or a meeting with the people involved.

We will look into your complaint to:

• Find out what happened and what went wrong
• Invite you to discuss the problem with those involved, if you would like this
• Apologise where this is appropriate.
• Identify what we can do to make sure that the problem does not happen again.

Complaining on behalf of someone else

Medical records are protected by the data Protection Act 1998. If you are complaining on behalf of someone else we need to know that you have their permission to do so. A note signed by the person concerned will be needed unless they are incapable (i.e. due to illness) of providing this.

Getting help

If you need support in making a complaint you can contact Healthwatch Lewisham who provide an independent health complaints advocacy service. Please contact info@healthwatchlewisham.co.uk, telephone 020 3886 0196 or visit health watch Lewisham for further information.

If you are not satisfied

If you are not satisfied with the way we have dealt with your complaint, you can contact NHS England at england.contactus@nhs.net or 0300 3 11 22 33

Alternatively you can contact the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman on 0845 015 4033 or via their website

Remember:

• We want you to let us know if you are unhappy or have a suggestion about how we can do things better
• All complaints are treated in the strictest confidence 
• Making a complaint will not affect your treatment or care