Complaint Procedure

How to complain

We hope that most problems can be sorted out easily and quickly, often at the time they arise and directly with the person concerned. If your problem cannot be resolved in 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 this, please let us have details of your complaint:

  • Within 12 months of the incident that is the cause of the problem; or
  • Within 12 months of discovering that you have a problem.

Complaining on behalf of someone else

Please note that we keep strictly to the rules of patient medical confidentiality. If you are complaining on behalf of someone else, we have to be assured that you have his or her permission to do so. A note signed by the patient concerned will be needed, unless they are incapable (because of illness) of providing this.

What you should do

Ask to speak to, email or make an appointment with the Practice Manager in order to discuss your concerns. She will explain the complaints procedure to you and make sure your concerns are taken seriously and dealt with promptly.

If you wish to put your complaint in writing, address to: Victoria Pilkington Practice Manager, Acorn Surgery, The Oak Tree Centre, 1 Oak Drive, Huntingdon, PE29 7HN.

Alternatively email [email protected] or  telephone 01480 483100.

It will be a great help if you are as specific as possible about your complaint.

Our Commitment to You

We shall generally acknowledge your complaint within three working days and aim to have looked into your complaint within the time scale agreed with you but under normal circumstances within 21 working days.  The time taken to investigate your complaint will depend on its complexity and the number of people involved. We shall then be in a position to offer you an explanation, or a meeting if that is more appropriate.

When we look into your complaint, we aim to:

  • Find out what happened and what should have happened.
  • Make it possible for you to discuss the problem with those concerned if this is your wish.
  • Ensure the complaint is resolved to your satisfaction.
  • Make sure you receive an apology, where this is appropriate.
  • Identify what needs to be done to ensure the problem does not arise again.

Our Principles Are:

  • To get it right
  • To be patient focussed
  • To be open and accountable
  • To act fairly and proportionately
  • To put things right
  • To listen and take issues seriously
  • To seek continuous improvement

Complaining to NHS England

We hope that if you have a problem, you will use our Practice complaints procedure to ensure it is resolved. We believe this will give us the best chance of putting right whatever has gone wrong and an opportunity to improve our Practice.

This however does not affect your right to approach the contact the local integrated care board (ICB) direct if you feel you cannot raise your complaint with us.

In this instance you should contact: Patient Experience Team for free via 0800 279 2535, or by emailing [email protected]

The team works Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays. If you call our freephone number and receive our answerphone message, please leave your name and telephone number so the team can return your call.

You can find out more about making a complaint on their website: https://www.cpics.org.uk/patient-experience-team

If you feel your complaint has not been resolved by the ICB or the Practice, it can be referred to The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.  You may contact them instead of, or as well as, NHS England. All records will have to be provided to the Ombudsman to assist with the resolution of your complaint. www.ombudsman.org.uk 0345 015 4033 or [email protected] or The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, Millbank Tower, Millbank, London, SW1P 4QP

FURTHER INFORMATION

For support and help regarding issues with NHS organisations, The Patient Experience Team (PET) provides:

  • Advice and support to patients, their families and carers
  • Information on NHS services
  • Listens to concerns, suggestions or queries
  • Help to sort out problems quickly.

In this instance you should contact: Patient Experience Team for free via 0800 279 2535, or by emailing [email protected]

The NHS Complaints Advocacy

For information and help in making a complaint you can contact POhWER who are the NHS Complaints advocacy service. www.pohwer.net Tel: 0300 456 2370, email: [email protected], postal address: POhWER, NHS Complaints Advocacy, PO Box 14043, Birmingham B6 9BL.

Care Quality Commission

The Care Quality Commission (CQC), does not manage individual complaints about GPs and their services. However, you can find out more about making a complaint on their website: http://www.cqc.org.uk/contact-us

COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE

acornsurgery,
Oak Tree Centre,
Oak Drive,
Huntingdon,
PE29 7HN

TEL:  01480 483100

www.acornsurgery.com

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 a NHS system for dealing with complaints. Our complaints system meets national criteria as laid down by the NHS.

Patient advice and liaison services (PALS)

The Patient Advice and Liaison Service, known as PALS, has been introduced to ensure that the NHS listens to patients, their relatives, carers and friends, and answers their questions and resolves their concerns as quickly as possible.

PALS also helps the NHS to improve services by listening to what matters to patients and their loved ones and making changes, when appropriate.

Addenbrooke’s
Hills Road
Cambridge
Cambridgeshire
CB2 0QQ
01223 216756
Email

CPFT – Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust
Elizabeth House
Fulbourn Hospital
Fulbourn
Cambridge
CB21 5EF
01223 219444
Email

Hinchingbrooke Hospital
Hinchingbrooke Park
Huntingdon
Cambridgeshire
PE29 6NT
01480 428964
Email

Peterborough City Hospital AND Stamford & Rutland Hospital
01733 673405
Email