Policy for Handling and Investigation of Complaints
1. Policy:
1.1. All complaints will be dealt with quickly and effectively between the individuals concerned and any justified grievances will be promptly remedied. It will be made clear to the complainant that they may contact the Care Quality Commission at any time in connection with a complaint.
1.2. If the Care Quality Commission wishes to investigate a complaint, The GP Service (UK) Ltd will provide adequate facilities for any authorised person to interview, in private, any patient.
1.3. Any complaints of unprofessional conduct against a doctor will be referred to the General Medical Council. Complaints about nursing staff will be referred to the Nursing and Midwifery Council.
1.4. A notice will be posted online giving a clear indication to all Patients that should they wish to register a complaint they should in the first instance address it in writing to:
Medical Services Manager
The GP Service (UK) Ltd
Coventry University Technology Park,
The TechnoCentre,
Puma Way,
Coventry
CV1 2TT
1.5. The notice will also contain the name, address and telephone number of the Care Quality Commission.
2. Procedure for Handling of Complaints:
2.1. All complaints will be fully investigated by the Medical Services Manager.
2.2. All complainants will receive a written acknowledgement within 2 working days of the complaint.
2.3. The complainant will receive a written response within 20 working days or a written explanation of why the response is taking longer and when they can expect a response. A full response being made within 5 working days of a conclusion being reached.
2.4. All staff involved in a complaint will be informed of the outcome and advice on preventing recurrence.
2.5. On completion of a complaint, a full written report will be made including any recommendations and actions by the Medical Services Manager.
2.6. Where a complainant is not satisfied at the conclusion of the complaint process they have several options depending upon the nature of the complaint:
i. Independent arbitration service (see below).
ii. Where the complaint may relate to a breach of professional standards of conduct, clinical competence or fitness to practise, patients can raise their concerns with the appropriate professional regulator (Doctors — General Medical Council, Nurses — Nursing & Midwifery Council (see below).
iii. Where the complaint relates to a breach of statutory regulations and the organisation is registered with the Care Quality Commission patients can contact the CQC (see below).
iv. Patients retain the option of seeking legal advice relating to a complaint about the service provided by any healthcare provider.
2.7. Any complaint proceeding to litigation will be notified to the Care Quality Commission.
3. Complaint should be made in writing to the Medical Services Manager
3.1. The Medical Services Manager will conduct an investigation and will gather information.
3.2. This will lead to a full written report being produced and made available to those concerned.
3.3. The investigation will include:
i. Speaking to all persons concerned
ii. Reviewing records and other documents
iii. Producing a written summary of the facts of the complaint
iv. Producing responses to written complaints
v. Completing the appropriate records of the complaint
vi. Informing all relevant parties as to the outcome of the complaint and any remedial action.
3.4. The Care Quality Commission is the regulator for independent Healthcare. The Care Quality Commission has no statutory powers to investigate any complaints that patients or other members of the public make about independent healthcare services, nor do they have a regulatory role to manage, arbitrate or resolve their complaints, concerns or allegations. However, they will take account of all information that they receive from the public about registered independent providers, or about unregistered providers that they consider should be registered. They assess whether this ‘concerning information’ suggests that:
• An offence has been committed as set out in the Health & Social Care Act 2008
• A regulation has been breached as set out in the associated regulations, or
• The provider has contravened a condition of their registration with us, as set out in their registration certificate.
3.5. If they suspect that the provider has committed an offence under the Act or a breach under the regulations, they are required to take action to bring about improvement.
3.6. Care Quality Commission Contact Details:
| CQC Healthcare Citygate, Gallowgate Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4PA |
Tel: 03000 616161 Email: enquiries@cqc.org.uk. Web: wvvw.cqc.org.uk |
3.7. Staff will provide help to any patient or relative of a patient wishing to make a complaint.
3.8. Other Useful Contact Details:
| The General Medical Council 350 Euston Road London, NW1 3JN |
Tel: 0161 923 6602 Web: www.gmc-uk.org |
| The Nursing & Midwifery Council 23 Portland Place London, W1B 1PZ |
Tel: 0207 7333 9333 Web: www.nmc-uk.org |
Independent Arbitration Organisation
International Dispute Resolution Centre
70 Fleet Street
London, EC4Y IEU
Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution
Web: www.ced.com
Tel: +44 (0)20 7536 6000