COMPLAINTS POLICY AND PROCEDURE

Comprehensive version

1 The Clinics' Commitment

1.1  The Clinics are committed to delivering a high quality service and encourage their staff and patients to tell them where there is cause for concern and a case for improvement.

1.2  We aim to handle complaints in a way that:

• encourages informal conciliation
  
• is fair and efficient
  
• treats complaints with appropriate seriousness, sympathy and confidentiality
  
• facilitates early resolution
  
• allows the Clinics to benefit from the experience

1.3  Every effort will be made to ensure that the procedure operates as closely as possible to its declared timetable, but always within the spirit of fairness to all concerned.

1.4  The Clinics aim to publicise the procedure in the Clinics, in literature, and on their websites, to encourage access to the procedure.

2  How to Complain

2.1 This procedure outlines a number of simple routes to be used by any employee or patient depending on the seriousness of the complaint.

2.2 The following list indicates examples of the type of complaint covered by this procedure:

• The quality of the treatment and care
  
• Insufficient facilities
  
• The behaviour of a member of staff

STAGE 1

Complaints of a minor nature should be raised immediately with either the Nurse Manager or the Administrator with the aim of resolving the problem directly and informally. It is anticipated that the vast majority of complaints will be resolved in this way.

Stage 1 will generally be an oral process and a written record will not be made.

If you are still not satisfied with the response to your complaint, you should use stage 2 of the procedure outlined below.

STAGE 2

The Clinic appreciates that there may be occasions where the above process is inappropriate and that a more formal approach is necessary.

Where it has not been possible to resolve matters to your satisfaction under Stage 1, you should write to the Clinic Administrator or Nurse Manager. Your complaint must be specific and comprehensively documented. You should present full details, including your name and address, any relevant documentation, and dates, locations and witnesses as appropriate. You should also detail any previous unsuccessful attempts at resolution. Finally, you should state what reasonable steps you believe should be taken to resolve the complaint.

You should expect to receive an acknowledgement from the Administrator/Nurse Manager of your written complaint within two working days, together with a copy of this procedure. It is our aim that most complaints under Stage 2 should be resolved within 20 days. You will be informed if there is likely to be any delay in the process.

As part of the process of attempting to establish the facts of the complaint the Administrator or Nurse Manager may hold separate meetings with any persons who were involved with the circumstances giving rise to your complaint, and may also wish to meet with you and any material witnesses. A written record of meetings will be made by the Nurse Manager/Administrator.

The Nurse Manager/Administrator will notify you in writing of the result of your complaint and the reasons for the decision. Where the result of the complaint includes consequent action or recommendations, the Manager responsible for the section concerned shall notify the appropriate person(s) or committee, internal or external to the Clinic, without undue delay.

Should your complaint relate to the Administrator/Manager to whom it would normally be referred under stage 2, it should instead be submitted to the Chief Executive, 4 Arthur Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2UL who will arrange for it to be heard by an alternative, senior member of the Clinic, not previously involved in the case.

STAGE 3

If the complaint remains unresolved under Stage 2 to your satisfaction, you may in turn write to the Chief Executive, explaining why this is so and seeking review and further enquiry.

The Clinic will be asked to submit to the Chief Executive your original complaint, the supporting evidence considered under stage 2 and the Clinic's report on the outcome at that stage and the reasons for it.

The Clinic will submit all the papers to the Chief Executive, who has not been previously involved in the case, and he or she will review the way your complaint has been dealt with. He or she may seek further written information from you to clarify matters concerning the complaint. He or she may also decide, if in their opinion the evidence justifies it, to uphold (or not to do so) a complaint without proceeding further with the complaint process.

The Chief Executive may wish to meet, separately with you and the people who were involved in the circumstances giving rise to your complaint, the Nurse Manager, Administrator and Manager, and any appropriate witnesses. You may be accompanied at your meeting by a relative or friend.

The Chief Executive will arrange for a written record to be made of each interview.

The Chief Executive will notify you in writing of the decision reached concerning this stage of your complaint and the reasons for it, together with any recommended consequent action.

Recommendations arising from the stage 3 process will be formally submitted by the Board of Management, who will confer and refer them to appropriate staff within the Clinic for action and report.

STAGE 4

If you are still dissatisfied you may write to The Healthcare Commission(CHAI), Peter House, Oxford Street, Manchester, M1 5AX or telephone their national helpline on 0207 448 9200(from UK)or 0044 207 9200 (from Eire). You may also complain to them at any stage of the complaints procedure.

The decision of the Commission will be final in so far as the Clinics' complaints procedures are concerned and it will be reported to the Board of Management.

The result of, and reasons for, The Healthcare Commission's response to the complaint will be notified to you in writing by them.

If the Commission's decision is that further steps should be taken as a consequence of or following the complaint or appeal, then the Chief Executive and Board of Management will endeavour to take or monitor such steps, as appropriate.

If you have been referred to the clinic by the NHS or are otherwise funded by them, you may also access the NHS Complaints Procedure by asking for an Independent Review.

3 Results

3.1  Do remember that complaints will not always produce the outcome preferred by a complainant. For instance, policy decisions or researching beyond the Clinics' control may affect the level of service provided. However, whatever the decision, we undertake to inform you of the result of a complaint and the reasons for it.

4 Anonymity

4.1  In general, those about whom complaints are made have a right to know what is being claimed and who is making a complaint.

4.2  Where a complaint is made in writing, a copy will normally be supplied to the people who are the subject of the grievance.

4.3  You will not be discriminated against or suffer recrimination as a result of making a complaint unless it is found to be malicious.

5 Confidentiality

5.1 It is the Clinics' expectation that the confidentiality of the documentation generated by a complaint will be respected by all parties.

6 Reporting

6.1  Each month a report will be prepared detailing the subject matter and circumstances of complaints. We intend that in this way appropriate action will be taken to improve the level and quality of services provided.