How to make a complaint

Last Updated: Wednesday, 26 July 2023

How to let us know about your complaint

Most problems can be sorted out quickly and easily, often at the time they arise with either the person concerned or with the Practice Manager  

Please feel free to ask to speak to the Practice Manager, if they are not available we can arrange for him to contact you.

The details of our Practice Manager can be found in the Administration section of  our Meet The Team page

Our complaints policy

Making a formal complaint

If you are not able to resolve your complaint in this way and wish to make a formal complaint you should do so, preferably in writing, as soon as possible after the event and ideally within a few days, as this helps us to establish what happened more easily.

In any event, this should be: 

  • Within 6 months of the incident that caused the problem or
  • Within 6 months of discovering that you have a problem, providing this is within 12 months of the incident

Complaints should be addressed to Ms Lisa Roberts, Practice Manager or any of the Doctors personally.  Alternatively, you may ask for an appointment in order to discuss your concerns, where the complaints procedure will be explained to you and ensure that your concerns are dealt with promptly. It will be a great help if you are as specific as possible about your complaint.

What we do next

We will acknowledge your complaint within two working days and aim to have looked into your complaint within ten working days of the date it was raised.  We will then be in a position to offer you an explanation, or a meeting with the people involved.  When we look into your complaint, we shall aim to: -

  • Find out what happened and what went wrong
  • Make it possible 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 we can do to make sure the problem doesn’t happen 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 signed consent form will be needed, unless the patient is incapable (because of illness) of providing this. Please ask a member of staff for a form.

We hope that, if you do have a problem, you will use our practice complaint procedure. We believe this will give us the best chance of putting right whatever has gone wrong and an opportunity to improve our practice.

You can also contact your local Patient Advice and Liaison Service, details below:-

There is a new freephone telephone number for the PALS service 0800 218 2333; this number covers the whole of Sefton.

If you live in South Sefton you can contact PALS on the freephone number above or visit the PALS office at Merton House, Stanley Road, Bootle, L20 3DL (please ring the office first to make sure someone is available).

If you live in North Sefton you can contact PALS direct on the freephone number above or visit the PALS office at 5 Curzon Road, Southport, PR8 6PL (please ring the office first to make sure someone is available).

Independent Complaints Advocacy Service North West

Tel : 0845 1203735

Complaints involving other organisations

If your complaint involves more than one organisation (e.g. social services) we will liaise with that organisation so that you receive one coordinated reply. We may need your consent to do this. Where your complaint has been sent initially to an incorrect organisation, we may seek your consent to forward this to the correct person to deal with.

The  response letter will include details of the result of your complaint and also your right to escalate the matter further if you remain dissatisfied with the response. Above all we will always deal with your complaint in an open, transparent and respectful way.

How to Escalate

Most of the organisations that you can escalate your complaint to will require you to have first taken up your complaint with the Surgery.

You can escalate a complaint to

  • The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
  • NHS England
  • The Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board (ICB) who commission GP services
  • Healthwatch can support you with a complaint and are also able to arrange someone to act as your advocate.