Complaints

If something has gone wrong, we would genuinely rather hear it. A complaint that reaches us is one we can do something about; one that does not reaches only everybody else.

Tell us informally first, if you would like to

Most concerns are resolved fastest by speaking to the person involved or to the practice manager. Ask at reception, call 020 7946 0318, or email feedback@wrenfield.example.com. This does not affect your right to make a formal complaint later.

Making a formal complaint

Write to the Practice Manager at 14 Wharf Lane, Riverside Quarter, London SE1 4RT, or email complaints@wrenfield.example.com.

Please include your name and date of birth, what happened and when, who was involved if you know, and what you would like us to do about it.

Please complain within twelve months of the event, or of becoming aware of it. We will consider complaints made later where there is good reason.

Someone can complain on your behalf

A relative, friend or advocate may complain for you provided we have your written consent, which protects your confidentiality. For a child, a person with parental responsibility may complain directly.

What happens next

1. Within three working days we acknowledge your complaint in writing and tell you who is handling it.
2. We investigate. That means reviewing your records, speaking to the staff involved, and speaking to you if anything needs clarifying.
3. Within twenty working days we respond in full — what we found, whether we think something went wrong, an apology where one is owed, and what we are changing.
4. If it will take longer, we tell you why and give a revised date rather than letting it go quiet.

Your care will not suffer

Making a complaint will not affect how you are treated here. This is stated explicitly because it is the single most common reason people give for not raising something.

If you are not satisfied

You may refer your complaint to the Independent Sector Complaints Adjudication Service (ISCAS), which provides independent adjudication for private healthcare. Details are at iscas.cedr.com or on 020 7536 6091. Referral is normally within six months of our final response.

Concerns about a clinician’s fitness to practise may be raised directly with their regulator — the General Medical Council, the Nursing and Midwifery Council, the General Pharmaceutical Council or the Health and Care Professions Council.

Concerns about the safety or quality of the service may be raised with the Care Quality Commission on 03000 616161. The CQC cannot investigate individual complaints but does use what it is told.

What we do with complaints

Every complaint is logged, reviewed at our monthly clinical governance meeting, and reported in an annual summary that we publish. Where a complaint leads to a change, we say so in that summary.