Complaint Procedure
We try to offer you the best service we can at all times. There may be occasions when you feel this has not happened. We like to handle complaints ourselves since most arise from misunderstandings. It is best for all concerned to put things right as quickly as possible. If you have a concern or wish to make a complaint, please speak to the Practice Manager. We will listen to your complaint and discuss with you how best to resolve it.
How to complain
We hope that most problems can be sorted out easily and quickly when they arise and with the person concerned. For example, by requesting a face-to-face meeting to discuss your concerns.
If your problem cannot be sorted out this way and you wish to make a complaint, we would like you to let us know as soon as possible. By making your complaint quickly, it is easier for us to establish what happened. 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 the GP surgery team verbally or in writing to the Practice Manager. Alternatively, you may ask for an appointment with the GP surgery to discuss your concerns. They will explain the complaints procedure to you and make sure your concerns are dealt with promptly. Please be as specific as possible about your complaint.
What we will do
We will acknowledge your complaint within three working days. We will aim to have investigated your complaint within 28 days of the date you raised it with us. We will then offer you an explanation or a meeting with the people involved, if you would like this. When we investigate your complaint, we will aim to:
- Find out what happened and what went wrong.
- Make it possible for you to discuss what happened with those concerned, if you would like this.
- Make sure you receive an apology, where this is appropriate.
- Identify what we can do to make sure the problem does not happen again.
Complaining on behalf of someone else
We take medical confidentiality seriously. If you are complaining on behalf of someone else, we must 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 NHS England
We hope that you will use our Practice Complaints Procedure if you are unhappy. We believe this will give us the best chance of putting right whatever has gone wrong and an opportunity to improve our GP surgery.
However, if you feel you cannot raise the complaint with us directly, please contact NHS England. You can find more information on how to make a complaint at https://www.england.nhs.uk/contact-us/complaint/complaining-to-nhse/.
Unhappy with the outcome of your complaint?
If you are not happy with the way your complaint has been dealt with by the GP surgery and NHS England and would like to take the matter further, you can contact the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO). The PHSO makes final decisions on unresolved complaints about the NHS in England. It is an independent service which is free for everyone to use.
To take your complaint to the Ombudsman, visit the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman website or call 0345 015 4033
Need help making a complaint?
Alternatively, POhWER is a charity that helps people to be involved in decisions being made about their care. Call POhWER’s support centre on 0300 456 2370 for advice.
Data Protection & GDPR
NHS National Data Sharing
Tettenhall Medical Practice asks that you fully read the document below and follow the embedded links to ensure you are fully informed before making a your decision regarding NHS National Data Sharing
Tettenhall Medical Practice Privacy Notice
If you have read the above document and still wish to ‘opt-out’ – you will need to complete the ‘opt-out’ form contained within the document and return to surgery. Please note that each patient aged 16 years and over will need to complete an individual form.
Data Protection
We need to keep personal information so that you can receive appropriate health care and treatment. This information is only passed to other people or organisations if it is in your interest. For example:
- If you are receiving care from other people (such as social services) as well as from the NHS we may all need to share information so that we can work together for your benefit.
- It has to be passed on by law such as to notify the birth of a baby.
- Your relatives, carers or friends should be kept up to date with the progress of your treatment – but only with your consent.
However, information about you is only passed on if there is a genuine need and is in yours and everyone’s interest to do so. Whenever possible all details which identify you are deleted.
Everyone working with the NHS has a legal duty to keep information about you confidential. Anyone who receives information about you from the NHS also has a legal duty to keep it confidential. The NHS does not use personal information for direct marketing purposes.
GDPR – Fair Processing Notice For Patients
Your Information, Your Rights
Our Fair Processing Notice explains why we collect information about you and how that information may be used to deliver your direct care and manage the local health and social care system
The Notice Reflects:
- What information we collect about you
- How and why we use that information
- How we retain your information and keep it secure
- Who we share your information with and why we do this
The notice also explains your rights in relation to consent to use your information, the right to control who can see your data and how to seek advice and support of you feel that your information has not been used appropriately.
A full copy of the Fair Processing Privacy Notice is available below
GDPR Fair Processing Privacy Notice
COVID-19 Privacy Notice
Named GP
Upon registering with the practice, the individual will be informed of their accountable GP – this is allocated on a pro-rota basis. Patients who live within the same household are registered with the same ‘accountable GP’ – however patients are able to book and be seen by any GP within the practice.
All existing patients, including those over 75 years of age are assigned an accountable GP.
Training in The Practice
We are proud and privileged to be an Accredited Training Practice. This means that we are responsible for the training of new and existing doctors at postgraduate level.
We are proud of the reputation we have built as far as teaching and training is concerned.
We have doctors at many stages of their post graduate training, mainly training to become General Practitioners . We have a mix of ST2 / ST3 The m registrars training for some of which, their next post is as a fully registered GP.
The benefits to having training doctors for our patients is that they bring with them experiences and training in the most up to date methods and ideas which helps to keep our experienced doctors equally up to date.
All of the doctors are closely supervised and have access to further advice. There is a close supervision and assessment process of the doctors training and part of this may involve demonstrating their skills at consulting, which involves videoing a number of consultations.
Any doctors who are training at the Practice will work under the supervision of one of our GPs and will endeavour to work to the same high standards as the rest of our team.
Zero Tolerance Statement
As a healthcare organisation we are very aware that visiting can, at times, be stressful and concerning for patients. Delays in obtaining appointments and delays sometimes due to unforeseen emergency appointments, can also add to these concerns.
We always strive to meet patient expectation and deliver the highest standards of healthcare. For the vast majority of our patients, we achieve this despite the finite resources and steadily increasing demand for services that exists today within the NHS.
Our staff come to work to care for others, and it is important for all members of the public and our staff to be treated with respect.
In line with the rest of the NHS and to ensure this is fully observed we have instigated a Zero Tolerance policy, whereby aggressive or violent behaviour towards our staff will not be tolerated under any circumstances.
Anyone who verbally abuses a member of practice staff will be sent a letter from the Practice Team confirming that this behaviour will not be tolerated. Any future violation of this policy may result in removal from the Practice patient list and the patient will be treated elsewhere under the ‘special allocation scheme’, in addition the Police will be called in all cases of violence.
We are sure you will understand that appropriate behaviour is absolutely necessary for our staff and patients and that non observance will not be accepted.