From the 1st of July 2023, complaints made to the NHS commissioner should go to Norfolk & Waveney ICB not NHSE.
Further details are available here.
If a complainant is unhappy with the response from the practice or the ICB they may go directly to the PHSO.
Practices must ensure they have a policy and procedure for dealing with complaints which is in line with the ‘The Local Authority Social Services and NHS Complaints (England) Regulations 2009’
Your practice policies and procedures must make ensure complaints are dealt with:
- Efficiently, with a timely and appropriate response.
- Thoroughly investigated.
- Complainants are treated with respect and courtesy and without prejudice.
- Complainants receive, as far as is reasonably practical:
- Assistance to enable them to understand the policy and procedure.
- Advice on where they may obtain assistance.
- Complainants are told the outcome of the investigation of their complaint.
- Appropriate action and learning are completed if identified in the investigation of the complaint.
- A complaint should normally be made within 12 months of the subject of the complaint occurring, unless the complainant was not aware of the subject or there is good reason for the complaint not to be made within the 12 months of the occurrence.
The practice has a responsibility to:
- Investigate the complaint in a manner appropriate to resolve it speedily and efficiently, within the notified period.
- To keep the complainant informed, as to the progress of the investigation.
- Provide a written response to the complaint which includes:
- An explanation of how the complaint has been considered.
- The conclusions reached in relation to the complaint.
- Confirmation of the action taken/to be taken following the complaint investigation.
- The complainants right to escalate the complaint to the ICB and/or the PHSO.
- If the complaint cannot be resolved within the specified period, the practice must keep the complainant informed and updated and send the written complaint response as soon as reasonably practical.
Complaints may be made verbally, in writing or electronically. If the complaint is made verbally the practice must ensure that a written record is recorded accurately, and a copy is provided to the complainant.
The complaint must be acknowledged within three working days after the day on which it is received, within the acknowledgement the practice must offer a discussion at an agreed time or place with the complainant, which will set out the:
- Manner in which the complaint is to be managed.
- The period within which the investigation is likely to be completed and how the response is going to be delivered to the complainant.
The complainant may not wish to discuss the complaint with the practice; however, the practice must ensure that the complaints policy and procedure is followed, which includes a reasonable response period, and this must be communicated to the complainant.
Each practice must keep a comprehensive record of all complaints, including when they were received, actions taken, learning and resolution, this information will also need to be recorded on the annual K041B return. There should be no evidence of a complaint being recorded on the patient medical file, as patients have access to their medical records, to avoid bias.
Further information is also available from the BMA – Dealing with complaints made against you as a GP practice.
