Comments, compliments and complaints Policy

Please do let us know if you have any comments, suggestions or complaints about the service you have received.

We operate a practice complaints procedure that meets national criteria and ensures your views are recorded and, where appropriate, acted upon.

If you would like to make a complaint, please speak to Steph Chetter (Practice Manager) or email lscicb-fw.fernbankmanagers@nhs.net

All other comments, views or suggestions are always welcome and help us to continue providing a high-quality service to all our patients. Please contact any member of staff with any comments you have to make.

Complaints Procedure

We aim to provide you with the best possible care and recognise the importance of maintaining high standards. We take all complaints seriously and try to deal with these as swiftly as possible.

If you have been dissatisfied with our service and wish to raise concerns you may do so either directly to the Practice or to Lancashire & South Cumbria Integrated Care Board - ICB, details below.

If possible, please make your complaint as soon as you can. You should normally complain no later than 12 months of the incident you are concerned about, or within 12 months of you first becoming aware of the problem. We may be willing to investigate complaints after this time if you have a good reason for not complaining sooner.

The NHS complaints procedure requires the Practice to:

• Acknowledge a complaint within 3 working days.
• Offer a considered response as soon as the issue has been fully investigated.

All efforts will be made to resolve any problems within the Practice to the satisfaction of all parties. In the event that this is not possible, the matter may be taken further by contacting the Health Service Ombudsman.

Visit the The parliamentary and health service ombudsman website

Service provider complaints

For complaints about independent contractor services, such as GPs, dentists, pharmacies and opticians, please contact:

NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB)

If you feel you can’t do this, or would prefer not to, then please contact the NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) customer care team, who can also provide you with a copy of our complaints procedure, if required.

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)

Lancashire and South Cumbria Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) is a free and confidential service for anyone who has concerns about aspects of care that you, a friend or family member has received. PALS are here to help you identify what to do, where to go and who to speak to for support.

How to contact PALS

• Freephone: 0800 234 6088
• Telephone: 01772 676 028

Patient Advice and Liaison Service
Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust
Sceptre Point
Preston
PR5 6AW.

They are available Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. If you need to contact them outside of these hours you can leave a confidential message on there answer machine, or alternatively email them and a member of the team will contact you as soon as possible.

Health Service Ombudsman

If you are unhappy with the way we have handled your complaint, we will undertake further investigation to resolve it to your satisfaction. However, if you are still not happy, you can report it to the health service ombudsman.

The parliamentary and health service ombudsman may investigate complaints on your behalf, but only if your complaint has already been investigated at a local resolution and independent review level. There is no charge for this service and the ombudsman is completely independent of the NHS.

Visit the The parliamentary and health service ombudsman website

Independent advice

If you require independent advice about the complaints process, there is a service called Advocacy Access for all advocacy-related issues/enquiries, aimed at both members of the public and professionals.

Visit the NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) for more details

Confidentiality

You don’t ever need to worry about the service you receive in future being adversely affected because you have made a complaint. We take all comments seriously and only ever use the information to review our services and make improvements, where needed.