Violence Policy
The NHS operates a zero tolerance policy with regard to violence and abuse and the practice has the right to remove violent patients from the list with immediate effect in order to safeguard practice staff, patients and other persons.
In this situation we are obliged to notify the patient in writing of their removal from the list and record in the patient’s medical records the fact of the removal and the circumstances leading to it. The Primary Care Trust is then, responsible for providing further medical care for such patients.
Practice Rights
You have the right to expect a high standard of medical care from our practice and we will try at all times to provide the very best care possible within the resources available.
In order to assist us in this, we require that you take full responsibility to ensure that you keep medical appointments and follow the medical advice given.
Very occasionally a practice/patient relationship breaks down completely. In this situation, the patient may choose to register with a different practice. The practice also has the right to remove that patient from their list. This would generally only follow a warning that had failed to remedy the situation and we would normally give the patient a specific reason for the removal.
Freedom of Information Act
The Freedom of Information Act became law on 30th November 2000. The Village Surgery conforms to the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, and has produced a publication scheme in accordance with the Act, a copy of which is available from the Freedom of Information Act website: www.foi.nhs.uk
Chaperone
We are happy to provide a chaperone during consultations if patients would like one. However, if possible, we would be grateful if you could inform the receptionist when making your appointment that one is required so that we can ensure a suitable person is available.
Complaints
If you have a complaint, suggestion 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 complaints procedure as part of a NHS system for dealing with complaints. Our complaints system meets national criteria.
How to Complain
We hope that most problems can be sorted out easily and quickly, often at the time they arise and with the person concerned. If your problem cannot be sorted out 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 the most a few weeks – because this will enable us to establish what happened more easily.
If it is not possible to do that, please let us have details of your complaint, within 6 months of discovering that you have a problem, provided this is within 12 months of the incident or of becoming aware of the matter complained about.
The 12 month time limit does not apply if the practice is satisfied that there were good reasons for not making the complaint within that time limit or that despite the delay, it is still possible to investigate matters fairly and effectively.
Complaints made orally and resolved to the complainant's satisfaction not later than the next working day are not included in these complaints procedures.
Written complaints should be addressed to the Practice Manager, or any of the doctors. Alternatively you may ask for an appointment with the Practice Manager in order to discuss your concern. She will explain the complaints procedure to you and will make sure that your concerns are dealt with promptly. It will be a great help if you are as specific as possible about your complaint.
What shall we do
We shall acknowledge your complaint within two working days and aim to have looked into your complaint within ten working days of the date when you raised it with us. We shall then be in a position to offer you an explanation, or a meeting with the people involved.
When we look into your complaint, we aim to:
- Find out what happened and what went wrong
- Make it possible for you to discuss the problem 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.
- Advise you ofyour right to take your complaint to an alternative body (see below).
We will provide a written response as soon as reasonably practicable after completing the investigation.
Complaining on behalf of someone else
Please note that we keep strictly to the rules of medical confidentiality. If you are complaining on behalf of someone else, we have to 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) or providing this.
We hope that, if you have a problem, 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. If you remain dissatisfied with the response to the complaint you have the right to complain to an alternative body. (see below.)
If you wish, you can choose to complain to any of the following organisations rather than to the practice:
Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
By post: The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, Millbank Tower, Millbank, London SW1P 4QP
By email: phso.enquiries@ombudsman.org.uk
Website: www.ombudsman.org.uk
By telephone: 0345 015 4033
NHS Commissioning Board- NHS England
By post: NHS England, PO Box 16738, Redditch, B97 9PT
By email: england.contactus@nhs.net with ‘For the attention of the complaints manager’ in the subject line.
By telephone: 0300 311 22 33 (Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm, excluding English Bank Holidays) They will take a note of your complaint and arrange for it to be passed to the complaints manager.
Healthwatch
In person: at any Citizens Advice Bureau in Dorset, Poole or Bournemouth.
By telephone: 0300 111 0102
By post: Healthwatch Dorset, Freepost BH1902, 896 Christchurch Road, Bournemouth, BH7 6BR
By email via the webite: www.healthwatchdorset.co.uk
The Independent NHS Complaints Advocacy Service
By telephone: 0300 343 7000
Via their website: www.dorsetadvocacy.co.uk
A free confidential service that advises and supports people who are complaining about the NHS. The service is independent of the NHS and is currently provided in Dorset, Poole and Bournemouth by Dorset Advocacy.
Independent Mental Capacity Advocate (IMCA) Resource
By telephone: 0845 3891762
IMCAs are a legal safeguard for people who lack the capacity to make specific important decisions: including making decisions about where they live and about serious medical treatment options. IMCAs are mainly instructed to represent people where there is no one independent of services, such as a family member or friend, who is able to represent the person.
The Care Quality Commission
By phone: 03000 616161
Via their website: www.cqc.org.uk
You can contact the CQC if you are unhappy with a service even when you don’t want to make a complaint.