Most NHS care and treatment goes well but sometimes things can go wrong. We try our best to offer a friendly, efficient service but looking after 16,100 means that occasionally things do not go to plan. There are times when you may feel angry or frustrated. If you are unhappy with your care or the service you have received at East Norwich Medical Partnership, it is important to let us know so we can improve.
Giving feedback
All surgeries are required to provide patients with a way of leaving feedback about the services we provide – good or poor. This gives us the opportunity to review and reflect to see if we need improve things. We look at all of the feedback that we receive from our patients and this information is shared with all of our staff. This information is also shared and discussed with our Patient Participation Group.
iWantGreatCare
We use the iWantGreatCare website to help us provide this service to you. You can leave feedback on the surgery or on the GPs working at the practice.
The feedback form will ask everyone who posts feedback a core set of questions:
- How likely are you to recommend this surgery to your friends and family if they needed similar care or treatment?
- Were you involved enough in decisions made about your care and treatment?
- Was the surgery clean?
- Were the receptionists helpful?
- Is it easy to get an appointment (either by telephone and/or at the surgery)?
- What was good about your care and what would be improved?
We review any feedback posted on a regular basis. We will also share this feedback in the surgery by posting regular reports on our noticeboard in the waiting room. We will be able to respond to any feedback to comments left by patients. Please note that any responses undergo a moderation process before being published.
You will be able to see other anonymised reviews that have been posted by other patients and be able to leave your own.
You can submit feedback for:
Alternatively, you can give your feedback via the followings methods:
- take part in the Friends and Family Test online or a Friends and Family card in the surgery
- leave a review on the NHS website
- write to our practice manager Lisa Vandepeer at Sprowston Primary Care Centre, Aslake Close, Sprowston, Norwich, NR7 8DG
- if you have given consent for us to contact you by mobile we will ask you to give us feedback when you have had an appointment at the surgery via MJOG
- patient surveys – When we are undertaking a CFEP survey you may be asked to complete a questionnaire after seeing a GP or nurse practitioner
- The Patient Participation Group may also undertake patient surveys. The results of these are made available on the practice website and in both surgery sites
Making a complaint
Our staff work hard in trying to help our patients in need of medical assistance and to deal with the huge demand for our services. By having a number of systems and procedures in place, we try very hard to get things right for our patients but from time to time, unfortunately, we may fail.
When we do fail to meet expectations, feedback from patients is helpful so that we can try and avoid making mistakes in the future.
If you have a complaint about the service you have received from any member of staff working in the practice, please let us know. East Norwich Medical Partnership operates a complaints procedure as part of the NHS system for dealing with complaints and this meets national criteria. This is called local resolution.
If you wish to make a formal complaint you can write to our practice manager Lisa Vandepeer at:
Sprowston Primary Care Centre
Aslake Close
Sprowston
Norwich
NR7 8DG
Email
nwicb.ENMP.complaints@nhs.net.
How to complain in the first instance
In the first instance, we would encourage you to discuss your concerns with the staff member directly at the time they arise as most problems can be sorted out quickly and easily.
Where the issue cannot be solved at this stage, any reception or administration team staffing or process issues should be referred to our staff manager, Tracy Hickford. You may contact Tracy and she will endeavour to resolve your complaint at this stage.
If you wish to raise any concerns about a clinical member of staff, please contact Lisa Vandepeer, practice manager, in the same way.
Our named complaints lead is Dr G Bastable.
Acknowledgement and investigation of your complaint
If you wish to raise a formal complaint, please let us know of your concerns within a matter of days of the incident. This will allow us to get a clear picture of the circumstances surrounding your complaint.
If doing this is not possible your complaint should be submitted within 12 months of the incident that caused the problem, or within 12 months of discovering that you have a problem. You should be as specific and concise as possible in outlining your concerns.
We will acknowledge your complaint within 5 working days and aim to have looked into your complaint within 25 working days of the date that you raised it with us. At this stage you should be offered an explanation or a meeting with the person(s) involved.
When we look into your complaint we aim to:
- Ascertain the full circumstances of your complaint
- Make arrangements 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 the practice can do to make sure the problem does not happen again
If we are unable to meet this timescale or need more time to investigate your concerns we will provide you with an estimate of a revised timescale.
The practice regularly reviews complaints received, actions taken and looks at recommendations and learning points. We also provide an annual report to NHS England about the complaints that we have received.
If you raise a complaint it is practice policy to ensure you are not discriminated against, or subjected to any negative effective on your care, treatment or support.
How do I complain on another persons behalf?
We keep to the strict rules of medical confidentiality. If you are not the patient but wish to complain on his or her behalf, you must have his or her permission to do so. You will need to complete a third party consent form (PDF) and the patient concerned will need to sign this. Please note that consent may be checked with that person.
Consent may not be required if you are making a complaint in the name of:
- A deceased person
- Someone who lacks the capacity to make their own decisions due to accident, illness or mental capacity
- A non-Gillick competent child
What if I don’t want to complain directly to the practice?
If you feel unhappy with complaining directly to the practice, you may prefer to contact Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board:
NHS Norfolk and Waveney ICB
County Hall
Martineau Lane
Norwich
NR1 2DH
Email
nwicb.complaintsservice@nhs.net
Phone
01603 595857
I would like some help with making my complaint
POhWER or Independent Complaint and Advocacy Service (ICAS) is a charity that provides an information advocacy and advice service, across England offering direct and local support via professionals and volunteers. This independent, free service reaches individuals struggling with particular challenges in their lives and includes assistance with those who have concerns about their NHS care or treatment.
More information can be found at:
PO Box 14043
Birmingham
B6 9BL
Phone
0300 456 2370
Text
send the word “powher” with your name and number to 81025
Email
powher@powher.net
Website
www.pohwer.net/norfolk
Taking it further
If you have already complained to the surgery and have been unhappy with the response, NHS England will not re-investigate the same concerns.
In this instance, you may contact the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman:
PHSO
Millbank Tower
Millbank
London
SW1P 4QP
Phone
0345 015 4033 from 8:30am to 5:30pm, Monday to Friday
Email
phso.enquiries@ombudsman.org.uk
Care Quality Commission
If you have a genuine concern about a staff member or regulated activity carried out by this practice then you can contact the Care Quality Commission.
Phone
03000 616161
Website
www.cqc.org.uk
Email
enquiries@cqc.org.uk
Other useful organisations
Data Protection
Patients should be aware that should a complaint be made the practice may need to provide information about the patients and the treatment they have received to insurers or legal advisers.