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Complaints Procedure

 

West Meads Surgery is always looking for ways to improve the services it offers to patients. To do this effectively, the practice needs to know what you think about the services you receive. Tell us what we do best, where we don’t meet your expectations plus any ideas and suggestions you may have. Only by listening to you can the practice continue to build and improve upon the service it offers.

We hope that if you have a problem you will use the Practice Complaints Procedure. You can either write to us at the surgery or complete our secure online form

However, if you feel you cannot raise your complaint with us, you can contact any of the following bodies:

  • NHS England on 0300 311 2233
  • Citizens Advice Adviceline 0800 144 8848. For Hearing or speech difficulties please contact via Relay UK where you may type what you want to say: 18001 then 0800 144 8884.
 

Independent Advice

Patient Advisory Liaison Service (PALS)
PALS provide a confidential service designed to help patients get the most from the NHS. PALS can tell you more about the NHS complaints procedure and may be able to help you resolve your complaint informally.

  • Telephone 01903 285032.

Further Information is available on the NHS website

Independent Complaints and Advocacy Service (IHCAS)
Healthwatch West Sussex Independent Health Complaints Advocacy Service (IHCAS)

  • Telephone: 0300 012 0122
  • Address: PO Box 1360, Crawley, west Sussex, RH10 0QS 

Further information is available on the Healthwatch website

How To Make A Complaint

If one of our patients perceives the service that we provide to be unacceptable, we would like to know about it. Without such feedback, we would not be aware of areas in which we need to improve. We hope that the majority of problems can be resolved quickly and easily – at the time that the problem occurred and with the staff member(s) concerned. If a problem cannot be resolved in this manner, we would like to know as soon as possible as this will give us a better opportunity to establish exactly what happened.

If you wish to make a complaint, you can do so in person, by telephone or in writing (post or email). If you wish to meet our Practice Manager, our Reception staff will try to arrange an urgent appointment. We are happy for you to be accompanied by a friend or relative to such a meeting. Please provide your written authority should you wish for a third party to complain on your behalf.

If you wish to make your complaint by post, we would request that you write (clearly marked as ‘Private & Confidential’) to Adrian Dutton, Practice Manager at West Meads Surgery, 2-8 The Precinct, West Meads, Bognor Regis, West Sussex PO21 4RB.

Alternatively, send an email using our secure online form marked for the attention of Adrian Dutton.

Our Practice Manager will endeavour to send an acknowledgement within 3 working days. He will then arrange to carry-out an investigation into the alleged incident before sending a written response. Depending upon the individual complaint, this process may take some time. Once he has carried out a full investigation, we will write a letter of explanation and/or apology. Where relevant, we will also advise what steps we is intending to take to avoid a recurrence of the problem.

Complaints should, ideally, be resolved locally by the Practice but, there are also local advocacy services where someone with a grievance may be able to obtain impartial advice as follows:

Healthwatch West Sussex Independent Health Complaints Advocacy Service (IHCAS)

  • Telephone: 0300 012 0122
  • Via the Healthwatch website
  • In writing: The Billingshurst Community Centre, Roman Way, Billingshurst, West Sussex RH14 9QW

POhWER: a charity that helps people to be involved in decisions being made about their care.

  • POhWER’s support centre can be contacted via 0300 456 2370

Advocacy People: provides advocacy support.

  • Call 0330 440 9000 for advice or text 80800 starting message with PEOPLE

Age UK: may have advocates in the area.

NHS England: for patients who prefer a national body to process their complaint

  • Telephone: 0300 311 2233 
  • Visit the NHS England website
  • In writing: NHS England, PO BOX 16738, Redditch, B97 9PT
  • British Sign Language (BSL) via a video call to a BSL Interpreter

Parliamentary Health Service Ombudsman: in the event our formal response does not resolve your complaint

  • Telephone: complaints helpline 0345 015 4033 (Mon–Fri 8:30am–5:30pm) 
  • Visit the Ombudsman website
  • In writing: The Parliamentary Health Service Ombudsman, Millbank Tower, Millbank, London SW1P 4QP

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