We aim to provide patients with the best care we can, but will sometimes fall short of the mark. If you have any compliments, comments, concerns or complaints about our service, we want to hear about it.
We would encourage you to speak to whoever you feel most comfortable with - your doctor, a nurse, a receptionist or manager - but if you would prefer to give feedback in writing, please send it to the below address.
If you have a complaint to make, please don't be afraid to say how you feel. We welcome feedback to help us improve our standards and you will not be treated any differently because you have complained.
We would encourage you to speak to whoever you feel most comfortable with - your doctor, a nurse, a receptionist or manager - but if you would prefer to give feedback in writing, please send it to the below address.
If you have a complaint to make, please don't be afraid to say how you feel. We welcome feedback to help us improve our standards and you will not be treated any differently because you have complained.
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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:
We are able to provide you with a separate Complaint Form to register your complaint and this includes a third-party authority form to enable a complaint to be made by someone else. Forms are also available from Reception at any of our sites. You can provide this in your own format providing this covers all the necessary aspects. If you are unable to submit a complaint in writing, a telephone call or meeting can be arranged. Please make your complaint as specific and precise as possible. |
Send your written complaint to our Complaints Manager at : St Austell Healthcare 1 Wheal Northey St Austell Cornwall PL25 3EF Email. complaints.sahc@nhs.net If you do not wish to complain to us directly you can make a complaint to: NHS England PO Box 16738 Redditch B97 9PT Telephone 0300 311 22 33 or via email england.contactus@nhs.net. Please ensure you state ‘For the attention of the complaints manager’ in the subject line. |
What we do next
We aim to acknowledge receipt of all complaints within 3 working days, and to have reinvestigated the matter within 28 days. You may 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. If you submit a complaint via email you will receive an automated acknowledgement of receipt, if you do not receive this please check your spam folder.
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.
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.
We aim to acknowledge receipt of all complaints within 3 working days, and to have reinvestigated the matter within 28 days. You may 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. If you submit a complaint via email you will receive an automated acknowledgement of receipt, if you do not receive this please check your spam folder.
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.
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.
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.
The Complaint Form contains a suitable authority for the patient to sign to enable the complaint to proceed. Signed consent will need to be given in front of a staff member, and photo ID will need to be shown.
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.
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.
The Complaint Form contains a suitable authority for the patient to sign to enable the complaint to proceed. Signed consent will need to be given in front of a staff member, and photo ID will need to be shown.
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.
If you are not satisfied with the outcome of your complaint
You have the right to approach the Parliamentary Health Service Ombudsman. The Ombudsman is independent of government and the NHS. Her service is confidential and free. There are time limits for taking a complaint to the Ombudsman, although she can waive them if she thinks there is a good reason to do so.
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
Millbank Tower
Millbank
London
SW1P 4QP
Tel: 0345 0154033
Email: phso.enquiries@ombudsman.org.uk
Website: www.ombudsman.org.uk
You have the right to approach the Parliamentary Health Service Ombudsman. The Ombudsman is independent of government and the NHS. Her service is confidential and free. There are time limits for taking a complaint to the Ombudsman, although she can waive them if she thinks there is a good reason to do so.
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
Millbank Tower
Millbank
London
SW1P 4QP
Tel: 0345 0154033
Email: phso.enquiries@ombudsman.org.uk
Website: www.ombudsman.org.uk
Removal from the practice list
GP practices may apply to remove patients from their list if the relationship between patient and GP has broken down.
St Austell Healthcare will normally explain the problem to you and try to resolve it. They may ask to see you or may write to you. If the problem can't be resolved, St Austell Healthcare will normally advise you in writing that you may be removed from their list.
Patients cannot be removed from a GP's list because they've made a complaint. However, the basis of the complaint may mean that the relationship between patient and GP has already broken down.
Patients may also be removed from our GP's list if you move out of the area covered by their practice. Details of our Practice Area can be found on this website.
If you're removed from your GP practice's list, you may need to register with another GP practice. You will be given 30 days in which to make alternative arrangements.
GP practices may apply to remove patients from their list if the relationship between patient and GP has broken down.
St Austell Healthcare will normally explain the problem to you and try to resolve it. They may ask to see you or may write to you. If the problem can't be resolved, St Austell Healthcare will normally advise you in writing that you may be removed from their list.
Patients cannot be removed from a GP's list because they've made a complaint. However, the basis of the complaint may mean that the relationship between patient and GP has already broken down.
Patients may also be removed from our GP's list if you move out of the area covered by their practice. Details of our Practice Area can be found on this website.
If you're removed from your GP practice's list, you may need to register with another GP practice. You will be given 30 days in which to make alternative arrangements.
Violence Policy
The NHS operate a zero tolerance policy with regard to violence and abuse and the practice has the right to remove violent patients from the list with immediate effect in order to safeguard practice staff, patients and other persons.
Violence in this context includes actual or threatened physical violence or verbal abuse which leads to fear for a person’s safety. In this situation we will notify the patient in writing of their removal from the list and record in the patient’s medical records the fact of the removal and the circumstances leading to it.
These patients will be asked to attend a special clinic for any further consultations at which the police will have to be present.
The NHS operate a zero tolerance policy with regard to violence and abuse and the practice has the right to remove violent patients from the list with immediate effect in order to safeguard practice staff, patients and other persons.
Violence in this context includes actual or threatened physical violence or verbal abuse which leads to fear for a person’s safety. In this situation we will notify the patient in writing of their removal from the list and record in the patient’s medical records the fact of the removal and the circumstances leading to it.
These patients will be asked to attend a special clinic for any further consultations at which the police will have to be present.
