Complaints Policy

Introduction

If you have a complaint or any concerns about the service you have received from the Doctors or any staff working for Bay Medical Group, please let us know. We operate a practice complaints procedure as part of the NHS system for dealing with complaints.

How to Complain

We hope that most problems can be sorted easily and quickly, often at the time they arise and with the person involved or ask to speak to the Site Manager at the site where the issue occurred. This type of issue would be classed as a ‘concern’ rather than a formal complaint. When you raise a concern we will discuss this fully with you and agree, where appropriate, to share any outcomes within the practice to support service improvement or change.

If your problem cannot be sorted out in this way and you wish to make a formal complaint, please 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 accurately. If, for some reason it is not possible to do this, please let us have the details of your complaint:

1. within 12 months of the incident that caused the problem or
2. within 12 months of discovering that you have a problem.

We will normally only consider complaints outside of these timescales, if you can demonstrate good reason for the delay and it is still possible for the complaint to be investigated fairly and effectively.

All complaints should be addressed in writing to:

Chris Greenwood
West End Medical Practice
1 Heysham Road
Morecambe
LA3 1DA

Alternatively, you may ask for an appointment with Chris to discuss your concerns.

Please be as specific as possible when informing us of your complaint as the more detail you are able to provide the better able we will be to respond effectively.

If your complaint relates to the nursing team, Chris will liaise with the Clinical Services Operational Manager, Amy Dawson, it your complaint relates to a medication query Chris will liaise with the medicines management operational manager Lindsey O`Gorman.

What We Shall Do

We will acknowledge your complaint within three working days of receiving it.

We may try to speak to you by telephone after receiving your complaint to discuss further details if they are required. If we consider the complaint relates to something outside of our direct control, we will discuss how best to progress this with you and whether it would be more appropriate to refer the complaint elsewhere for a response. 

Within sixteen working days of receiving your complaint we aim to have investigated it and written to you with a response. 

If exceptionally your complaint cannot be dealt with within this time frame we will advise you why and keep you updated of progress. 

When we look into your complaint we shall aim to investigate thoroughly and keep you informed and respond in writing to your complaint. If however, you are not satisfied please contact Chris Greenwood normally within 28 days, then Chris will arrange a meeting with yourself and one of the GP’s responsible for complaints, Either Dr Moore, Dr Wooldridge or Dr Akhtar to discuss the matter further.

Following discussion, the matter will hopefully be resolved, and the practice will write to confirm the outcome. 

What if I am still unhappy?

If you remain dissatisfied following completion of the local resolution procedure you may complain to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.

Complaining to the Integrated Care Board (ICB)

From 1 July2023 the structure of the NHS changed.  ICB took over health care management from the CCG and from the 1st July 2023 will take over managing patients complaints. If you have a complaint, we would hope that you will use our Practice complaints procedure.  We believe this will give us the best chance of putting right whatever has gone wrong and an opportunity to improve our Practice. This does not affect your right to approach the ICB if you feel you cannot raise your complaint with us.

You can contact them on:

NHS Lancashire And South Cumbria ICB
Jubilee House
Lancashire Business Park
Leyland
PR26 6TR
Telephone: 0300 373 3550
Email: lscicb-fw.patientexperience@nhs.net

If you are making a complaint please state: ‘complaint, Patient Experience team in the subject line.

For more information visit NHS Lancashire And South Cumbria ICB website

Concerns about secondary care

If you have concerns related to your care at a local Hospital contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) who offer support and advice to individuals who require information, or have concerns or a complaint about aspects of care at our local hospitals. They can be contacted by visiting the University Hospital of Morecambe Bay website

Enhanced Access service

If you have concerns about our Extended Access appointments on Saturday afternoon and on a Friday Night (these would be phone appointments). 

Visit Morecambe Bay Primary Care Collaborative website for more information

Comments and Suggestions

We are always pleased to hear any suggestions you may have for improving the service we provide.

Address these to:

Chris Greenwood
Patient Engagement Manager
West End Medical Practice
1 Heysham Road
Morecambe
LA3 1DA

Your thoughts and ideas are important to us. Input from our patients helps us as a Practice to better understand our population and the needs of all our patients. 

The Practice undertakes to avoid discrimination against any patient who registers a grievance.

Patients Association

The Patients Association is a healthcare charity which highlights patient concerns and also provides advice on how to get the best out of their healthcare. Contact them by visiting the patient association website. 

Alternatively, you may contact Ncompass who also provide independent advocacy (help and advice) for people who have a complaint about the NHS.  For Lancaster and Morecambe, you should contact Ncompass Advocacy where live chat online is available.