We want to give you the best service we can and we try to deal quickly with any problem that arises. Please let us know if you have any comments, suggestions or complaints so that we can improve our service.
How to complain
It is best to tell a member of staff about any concerns or problems as soon as they arise and they will try and sort them out.
If you wish to make a complaint, please let us have details of your complaint as soon as possible so we can find out what happened.
A complaints form is available from reception or at the following link Complaint Form.pdf, you can complain verbally however the receptionist will be required to go through the complaints form with you so we can ensure we can investigate appropriately. You can email weaver.vale@nhs.net or ask the receptionist for a complaints form to complete
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.
What we will do
We will contact you about your complaint within three working days to acknowledge your complaint and provide time scales for a response.
We aim to investigate and provide you with the findings as soon as we can.
We will look into your complaint to:-
Find out what happened and what went wrong
Provide you with an explanation
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. If you are complaining on behalf of someone else we need to know that you have their permission to do so. A consent form from the person you are complaining for will be required.
Confidentiality continues beyond death Therefore if you are complaining on behalf of a person who has died you must be able to provide evidence that you are:
A personal representative (the executor or administrator of the deceased persons estate)
Someone who has a claim resulting from the death
In order to evidence an individual is a personal representative you will need to provide physical documentation to provide this, before the deceased patients next of kin does not fulfil this requirement.
The NHS Complaints Advocacy can provide free impartial support when you are making a complaint. They can help to draft or write a letter, can arrange interpreting or can accompany you to a meeting. http://nhscomplaintsadvocacy.org/ Tel: 0300 330 5454
You can also write to the following:
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, Millbank Tower, Millbank, London, SW1P 4QP, Tel 0845 0154033 www.ombudsman.org.uk
Care Quality Commission North Region, Citygate, Gallowgate, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 4PA, Tel 03000 616161 www.enquirescqc.org.uk
NHS England, North Division, PO Box 16738, Redditch, B97 9PT Tel: 03003112233 england.contactus@nhs.net