Complaints Policy

At Hanham Health Group we aim to offer the best possible treatment and care at all times. However, we recognise that things can go wrong on occasion. You can help us improve the quality of our service by making constructive comments and suggestions.

If you are unhappy with the treatment or service you have received from Hanham Health Group, you are entitled to make a complaint, have it considered, and receive a response from our organisation and / or the primary care practitioner concerned.

The NHS complaints procedure covers complaints made by a person about any matter connected with the provision of NHS services by NHS organisations or Primary Care Practitioners (GPs, Dentists, Opticians, and Pharmacists).

Who can complain?

A complaint can be made by a patient or person affected or likely to be affected by the actions or decisions of an NHS organisation, or primary care practitioner (such as a GP or Dentist). 

In certain circumstances, a complaint can be made by someone acting on behalf of a patient. For instance, if the patient is a child, is unable to make the complaint themselves because of physical or mental incapacity, has died, or has requested that someone else act on their behalf, a representative can complain on their behalf. 

What is the time limit for making a complaint?

You, or your representative, should complain within 12 months of the event(s) concerned, or within 12 months of becoming aware that you have something to complain about. Primary care practitioners have discretion to waive this time limit if there are good reasons to do so.

To whom should I complain initially?

The first stage of the NHS complaints procedure is ‘Local Resolution’. Your complaint should be addressed to the Hanham Health Management Team. This can be done by:

Local Resolution aims to resolve complaints quickly and as close to the source of the complaint as possible, using the most appropriate means. 

You can, of course, raise concerns immediately by speaking to a member of staff (e.g. a GP, nurse, receptionist, etc.)

They may be able to resolve your concerns without the need to make a formal complaint. 

You will receive a written and /or verbal acknowledgement of your complaint within 3 working days of receipt, and this will be documented. 

We allocate a serial number to each complaint. All complaints are dealt with confidentially. You will be informed of the timescales involved throughout the complaints process. 

Upon completion of the complaint investigation, you will receive a written response. On occasion, it may be possible to resolve complaints over the telephone. In these cases, an appropriate note will be made on the complaint file. We also record many of the telephone calls made to and from the practice and will retrieve digital recordings of conversations where possible.

Making complaints or raising concerns about NHS services in South Gloucestershire

Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board (ICB) and NHS England have responsibility for commissioning (planning and paying for) the healthcare of the local population. This means that depending on which service you are unhappy with, there are different organisations to complain to.

Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board (ICB)

The Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board (ICB) has responsibility for commissioning hospital, mental health, community, ambulance and GP out of hours services. You can also provide feedback on primary care services (GP practices, dental practices, opticians and pharmacies) to the ICB.  Patients with a formal complaint about these services, or about the performance of the individual service provider (such as a specific hospital), can contact the Customer Services team (formerly known as PALS). Contact details are as follows:

NHS Bristol, North Somerset And South Gloucestershire ICB
Floor 2, North Wing
100 Temple Street
Bristol
BS1 6AG
Visit the ICB website

NHS England

NHS England has responsibility for primary care in South Gloucestershire. This includes GP practices, dental practices, opticians and pharmacies. If you have a complaint or concerns about a GP practice, dental practice, optometry practice (optician) or pharmacy, you need either to contact the individual practice for local resolution, or the NHS England Customer Contact Centre may be able to help. 

Visit the NHS England website

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman

In all instances, the second stage of the NHS complaints process remains to ask the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman to review the complaint. The Ombudsman will not investigate complaints if these have not been made to either the service provider (GP, hospital, mental health trust etc) or the commissioner (ICB) first.

The Health Service Ombudsman is an independent body established to provide a free service to the public by undertaking independent investigations into complaints that public bodies, including the NHS in England, have not acted properly or fairly, or have provided a poor service. 

Visit the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman website

Useful contact information