COMPLAINTS
If you have a complaint or concern about the service you have received from the doctors or any of the staff working in this practice please let us know.We operate a practice complaints procedure as part of an NHS system for dealing with complaints. Our complaints system meets national criteria.
SATISFACTION
We would also by very keen to hear from you if you have any helpful suggestions for the practice or if you would just like to let us know that we are getting things right!
HOW TO COMPLAIN
We hope that most problems can be sorted out easily and quickly, often at the time they arise and with the person concerned. If your problem cannot be sorted out in this way and you wish to make a complaint we would like you to let us know as soon as possible. Ideally this should be within a matter of days or at most a few weeks – because this will enable us to establish what happened more easily.
If it is not possible to do that please let us have details of your complaint:- within 6 months of the incident that caused the problem or;- within 6 months of discovering that you have a problem, provided this is within 12 months of the incident. Complaints should be addressed to Joanne Fobbester, Manager. She will explain the complaints procedure to you and will make sure that your concerns are dealt with promptly.
It will be a great help if you are as specific as possible about your complaint.
WHAT WE SHALL DO
We shall acknowledge your complaint within 2 working days and aim to have looked into your complaint within 5 working days of the date when you raised it with us. We shall then be in a position to give you an explanation or offer a meeting with those involved. In investigating your complaint we shall aim to: find out what happened and what went wrong; enable you to discuss the problem with those concerned, if you would like this; ensure you receive an apology, where this is appropriate; identify what we can do to make sure the problem doesn’t happen again
COMPLAINING ON BEHALF OF SOMEONE ELSE
Please note that we keep strictly to the rules of medical confidentiality. If you are complaining on behalf of someone else, we have to know that you have their permission to do so. A note signed by the person concerned will be needed, unless they are incapable (because of illness) of providing this.
COMPLAINING TO THE HEALTH BOARD
We hope that, if you have a problem, you will make use of our practice complaints procedure. We believe this will give us the best chance of putting right whatever has gone wrong and an opportunity to improve our practice. This does not affect your right to approach the Health Board, if you feel you cannot raise your complaint with us or you are dissatisfied with the result of our investigation. You should contact the Health Board Complaints Officer for further advice.
USEFUL CONTACTS
Complaints Team
NHS Highland
PO Box 5713
INVERNESS
IV1 9AQ
Email:Complaints. nhshighland.feedback@nhs.scot
IF YOU REMAIN DISSATISFIED WITH THE OUTCOME OF YOUR COMPLAINT
If you remain dissatisfied with the outcome of your complaint, you have the option of contacting the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO). The SPSO cannot normally look at:
- a complaint that has not completed our complaints procedure
- events that happened, or that you became aware of, more than 12 months ago
- a matter that has been or is being considered in court.
The SPSO's contact details are:
SPSO, Bridgeside House, 99 McDonald Road, Edinburgh, EH7 4NS
Freephone: 0800 377 7330
Online contact: www.spso.org.uk/contact-us
Website: www.spso.org.uk
Mobile site: http//m.spso.org.uk