Comments & Complaints

 

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Should you wish to make a comment/complaint to the surgery, please see the information below for instructions. 

 

Let Us Know Your Views

At Ryeland Surgery we are always looking for ways to improve our service. To do this, we need to know what you think about the service you receive. We want you to tell us what we do best and where we do not meet your expectations together with any ideas and suggestions you may have. Only by listening to you can we continue to improve the service we offer.

 

Practice Complaints Procedure

If you have a complaint or are concerned about the service you have received from any of doctors or any of the staff working at this practice, please let us know. We operate a practice complaints procedure as part of an NHS system for dealing with complaints which meets national criteria. However, this procedure does not deal with matters of legal liability or compensation. 

You can speak to the Practice Manager either by phone or in person, or you can put your concerns in writing by letter or please let us know by completing our secure online form

 

How To Complain

In the first instance contact Eleanor Brookes-Owen, Practice Manager, who will be able to offer you advice on the complaints procedure. We hope that most problems can be sorted out easily and qucikly, often at the time they arise and with the person concerned. If your problem cannot be sorted out on this way and you wish to make a complaint, we would like you to let us know as soon as possible, ideally 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 the details of your complaint:

  • Within 6 months of the incident that caused the problems, or
  • Within 6 months of discovering that you have a problem, provided this is within 12 months

We will acknowledge your complaint within three working days of receipt and aim to have looked into your complaint within ten working days. We will then be in a position to offer you an explanation of a meeting with the people involved.

 

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 somone else, we have to know that you have their permission to do so. A note signed by the person concerned is needed, unless they are incapable because of illness of providing this.

 

Complaining To NHS England 

We hope that, if you have a problem, you will use our practice complaints procedure. However, if you feel you cannot raise your complaint with us or you are dissatisfied with the result of your investigation, you can contact NHS England Customer Care Centre on 0300 311 22 33 or email england.contactus@nhs.net. 

Alternatively you can write to: NHS England, PO Box 16738, Redditch B97 9PT

If you need help or advice to make your complaint you can contact the NHS Complaints Advocacy Service Derbyshire Mind either by telephone on 01332 623 732 or email advocacy@derbyshiremind.org.uk for furthe information.

 

If You Are Unhappy With The Response To A Complaint

You should allow your complaint to be investigated first, but if you remain dissatisfied following receipt of the response and any further discussion you can complain to the Parliamentary and Health Ombudsman. The Ombudsman is independent of the NHS and government.

The helpline is: 0345 015 403