We believe that patients should be treated with respect and courtesy and not discriminated against on the grounds of sex, race, colour or religion. Similarly staff should be treated with respect and courtesy, offensive abusive behaviour will not be tolerated, and patients will be asked to register elsewhere.
Complaints should normally be made within 12 months of an incident or of the matter coming to your attention.
This time limit can be extended provided you have good reasons for not making the complaint sooner and it’s possible to complete a fair investigation.
This will be a decision taken by the Practice Manager or Lead GP in discussion with you.
You can make a complaint verbally, in writing or by email. If you make your complaint verbally, a record of your complaint will be made and you’ll be provided with a written copy.
If you’re complaining on behalf of someone else, include their written consent with your letter (if you’re making your complaint in writing) as this will speed up the process.
But consent is not required if you’re making a complaint in the name of:
- a deceased person
- someone who lacks the capacity to make their own decisions
- a non-Gillick competent child
If you’d like support, you can always contact the Integrated Care Board who commission and pay for the NHS services you use. They can be contacted at wyicb.pals@nhs.net or by telephoning 01924 552150 Monday to Friday 9am – 4.30pm.
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman website also has tips about making a complaint, including tailored advice for people with learning disabilities and resources for south Asian and Muslim women.
Complaints should be made to the practice manager or the doctor. Complaints will be treated seriously.
To register a complaint, please contact us by telephone, mail or email. Please find our contact details below:
Addingham Medical Centre
151a Main Street
Addingham
Ilkley
LS29 0LZ
Phone: 01943 830367
Email: B83620.addingham@nhs.net
What to expect
You should expect an acknowledgement and the offer of a discussion about the handling of your complaint within 3 working days of receiving your complaint.
If you accept, the discussion will cover the period within which a response to your complaint is likely to be sent.
There’s no set timeframe, and this will depend on the nature of your complaint.
If, in the end, the response is delayed for any reason, you should be kept informed.
If you made a complaint but do not receive a response or decision for more than 6 months, you should be told the reason for the delay.
Once your complaint has been investigated, you’ll receive a written response.
The response should set out the findings and, where appropriate, provide apologies and information about what’s being done as a result of your complaint.
It should also include information about how the complaint has been handled and details of your right to take your complaint to the relevant ombudsman.
What else can I expect when making a complaint?
The NHS and social care sectors are working hard to improve complaints handling and best practice.
Many organisations have now adopted the principles laid out in the My expectations for raising concerns and complaints guidance.
This is a document produced by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, and Healthwatch England.
It explains what good outcomes for patients and service users look like when complaints are handled well.
Not happy with the outcome?
If your problem persists or you’re not happy with the way your complaint has been dealt with locally, you can complain to the relevant ombudsman.
Healthcare
If you have reached the end of the complaints process and are not happy with the organisation’s final decision, you have the right to bring your complaint to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman to look at.
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman makes final decisions on unresolved complaints about the NHS in England. This organisation is independent of the NHS.
For more information, call 0345 015 4033 or visit the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman website