The Practice has an official complaints procedure in line with Welsh Assembly guidelines. Any complaints received will be dealt with according to this procedure which can be found below. A printed version can be obtained from reception on request.
The Practice welcomes suggestions about how we may improve our service and from time to time may undertake patient surveys using questionnaires. We would like to thank patients in advance for their co-operation taking part in these surveys.
ARGYLE MEDICAL GROUP - COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE
If you have a complaint 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 practice complaints procedure as part of the NHS systems 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 resolved this sway 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 the incident that caused the problem; or,
within 6 months of discovering that you have a problem, provided it is within 12 months of the incident in question.
Complaints should be addressed to Juliet Goldsworthy, General Manager, or any of the doctors. Alternatively, you may ask for an appointment with Mrs Goldsworthy to discuss your concerns. She will explain the complaints procedure to you and will make sure that your concerns are dealt with promptly. It will be of great help if you are specific as possible about your complaint.
What we shall do
We shall acknowledge your complaint within 2 working days and aim to have looked into your complaint within 20 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. If these time limits cannot be met for various reasons, then we will let you know why. When we look into your complaint, we shall aim to:
Find out what happened and went wrong,
Make it possible for you to discuss the problem with those concerned, if you would like to do this,
Make sure that you receive an apology, where this is appropriate,
Identify what we can do to make sure the problem does not occur again.
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) of providing this, or a parent complaining on behalf of their child, or the complaint relates to a deceased patient.
Complaining to the Local Health Board
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. But this does not affect your right to approach the Local Health Board, if you feel that cannot raise your complaint with us or you are dissatisfied with the result of our investigation. You should contact the Local Health Board’s Complaints Officer for further advice. (Local Health Board 01437 771220).
What happens if you are not satisfied?
If you remain dissatisfied, you can ask for an Independent Review of your complaint. Write to:
Independent Review Secretariat
Mid & West Wales
PO Box 2
Brecon
Powys
LS3 0XR
Telephone No: 01874 712748
You must ask for an Independent Review within 28 days of the final letter you received from the Practice relating to your complaint.
An Independent Lay Person, call a Reviewer, will review your complaint with advice from another lay person and a clinical adviser where necessary. When they look at your complaint, they will consider whether there is anything more that can be done locally or whether to hold an independent panel to investigate your complaint.
You will be informed of the reviewer’s decision in writing. If you are not satisfied, you can complain to the Health Serviced Ombudsman, Freephone 0845 601 0987.
You may also like to contact the Community Health Council for help or advice. The address is as follows:
Pembrokeshire Community Health Council
Suite 2, Cedar Court
Haven’s Head Business Park,
Milford Haven
SA73 31LS
Telephone No: 01646 697610