At Humberstone Medical Centre, we want every patient to feel listened to, respected, and cared for. Most of the time we hope your experience with us is a positive one, but sometimes things don’t go as they should. If that happens, we want you to feel comfortable letting us know.
We see complaints and concerns as opportunities to learn and improve. By sharing your experience, you help us to make changes that benefit you and other patients.
As part of our Duty of Candour, we promise to be open and honest with you if something has gone wrong with your care or treatment. This means we will:
- Say sorry and acknowledge what has happened
- Explain clearly what went wrong and why
- Put things right wherever we can
- Learn from the issue so it does not happen again
Please be assured that raising a concern or complaint will not affect the care you receive now or in the future, and all information will be handled in strict confidence.
Our aim is to make the process of raising a concern or complaint as simple and supportive as possible.
How to Complain
We want it to be easy for you to tell us if something has gone wrong or if you are unhappy with any part of our service. Sharing your concerns helps us to put things right and to improve care for everyone.
Often, problems can be sorted out quickly at the time they happen by speaking with the person involved. If that’s not possible, or if you’d prefer to make a formal complaint, please let us know as soon as you can. This makes it easier for us to understand what happened and to put things right.
You can make a complaint:
- In person, by asking to speak with the Complaints Manager, Julie Liney, or in her absence, the Business Manager, Zuber Gaffar
- By phone, by requesting a call with the Complaints Manager, Julie Liney, or in her absence, the Business Manager, Zuber Gaffar
- In writing, by letter or by email to humberstone.medical@nhs.net
We ask that you share your complaint within 12 months of the incident, or from the time you became aware of it. If more time has passed, we may still be able to investigate if there is a good reason for the delay, but this cannot be guaranteed.
When you raise a concern or complaint, please include as much detail as you can about what happened. This helps us to look into the matter properly and respond more quickly.
What We Shall Do
When you raise a concern or complaint, we take it seriously and will respond as quickly as we can.
- We will acknowledge your complaint within 3 working days and explain what will happen next.
- We aim to investigate thoroughly and provide a full response within 25 working days. If your complaint is complex or involves other organisations, we will agree a realistic timescale with you and keep you updated.
- We may need to ask you for more information during the investigation so that we fully understand your concerns.
- If there are any unavoidable delays, we will let you know and agree a revised timeline with you.
Once we have completed our investigation, we will:
- Explain clearly what happened and what went wrong
- Offer you a discussion or meeting with the people involved if you would like this
- Apologise where it is appropriate
- Tell you what actions we are taking to make sure the problem does not happen again
Our aim is to be open, honest, and supportive throughout the process. We want you to feel that your concerns have been taken seriously and that we are committed to learning from them.
Complaining on Behalf of Someone Else
Sometimes you may need to make a complaint on behalf of a family member or someone you care for. We are happy to support this, but we also need to make sure we follow strict rules about confidentiality.
If you are making a complaint for someone else, we will need their written permission; this can be a handwritten or typed letter signed by the patient.
If the patient is unable to provide permission due to illness, incapacity, or other reasons, we will work with you to find a suitable way forward. In such cases, alternative arrangements will be discussed so that their concerns can still be addressed appropriately.
Our priority is always to respect the patient’s wishes and privacy while making sure their complaint is properly investigated.
Additional Help and Advice
If you are not happy with the response from our practice, there are other organisations that can offer support and guidance. They can help you understand your options and make a complaint if you wish to take things further.
Independent Complaints Advocacy Services (POhWER)
POhWER provides confidential advice and support to help patients raise concerns about NHS care. They can guide you through the complaints process and explain your rights.
POhWER | PO Box 13043 | Birmingham | B6 9BL
Tel: 0300 456 2370 | Email: yourvoiceyourchoice@pohwer.net
NHS England
If your complaint is about a clinical issue, NHS England can investigate. For GP practice contractual issues, the local Integrated Care Board (ICB) may investigate.
NHS England | PO Box 16738 | Redditch | B97 9PT
Tel: 0300 311 2233 | Email: england.contactus@nhs.net
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO)
The PHSO can investigate complaints that have not been resolved by NHS England.
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman | Millbank Tower | Millbank | London | SW1P 4QP
Tel. 0345 015 4033 | Email: phso.enquiries@ombudsman.org.uk
Independent Health Complaints Advocacy Service (IHCAS)
IHCAS offers free, independent support for individuals making a complaint about any aspect of NHS care or treatment, including care in private hospitals funded by the NHS.
If a patient lacks capacity, an Independent Mental Health Advocate (IMHA) may be allocated under the Mental Capacity Act 2005. You may also seek support from specialist advocacy services or the Citizens Advice Bureau.
These organisations are here to make sure your voice is heard and that you have support throughout the process.