Concern

A concern is an expression of worry or unease about something that may or may not be happening. Concerns can be based on facts or assumptions, and people raise them when they want to draw attention to a potential issue that may need to be addressed. Concerns are not subject to a legislated timeframe.

Complaint

A complaint is a formal or informal expression of dissatisfaction about something that has happened or is happening. Complaints are usually based on specific incidents or experiences that have not met the expectations of the person raising them.

Compliment

A compliment is an expression of appreciation or thanks for the quality of care or service received. All compliments are recorded centrally, acknowledged, and passed on to the staff involved.

The organisation is committed to:

·      Providing an efficient, fair, and structured mechanism for handling all concerns and complaints.

·      Ensuring access to the complaints process for all patients, including those with disabilities or communication needs.

·      Keeping complainants informed of the progress of their complaint and the expected timescales for resolution.

·      Conducting bi-monthly reviews of complaints to identify trends and lessons learned.

·      Applying the principles of the Duty of Candour; openness, transparency, and an apology where appropriate in all complaint responses.

The organisation has adopted the Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF), introduced by NHS England in 2022. Where a concern or complaint relates to a patient safety incident, the organisation's PSIRF Policy and Plan will govern the learning response. The four PSIRF principles underpin all our responses to patient safety concerns:

·      Compassionate engagement and involvement: patients, families, and staff are treated with respect, honesty, and transparency.

·      Systems-based approach: investigations explore system factors, not individual blame.

·      Proportionate responses: not all incidents require a full investigation; responses are based on learning potential, severity, and risk.

·      Improvement-focused governance: oversight is centred on learning rather than performance management.

Where a complaint relates to a notifiable safety incident within the meaning of the Duty of Candour (Regulation 20 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014), the clinical governance team will determine the appropriate learning response under PSIRF and this will be communicated to the complainant as part of the response.

On receipt of any complaint, the following process applies:

·      Acknowledgement will be provided to the complainant in writing within two business days of receipt.

·      The complaint will be reviewed by the Corporate Services Officer or Business Support Manager and graded according to its complexity and severity.

·      The complaint will then be reviewed by the relevant personnel, who will coordinate the investigation and make initial checks to identify any confidentiality considerations and whether the complaint involves more than one organisation.

·      Where the complaint involves another organisation, the complainant's consent will be obtained before sharing it with that organisation for a joint response.

·      Progress, proposed actions, and the expected resolution will be communicated to the complainant throughout the process.

·      The organisation aims to resolve complaints within 20 business days. Complex complaints may take longer; in such cases, regular updates will be provided.

A complaint must be made within 12 months of the date on which the matter occurred, or within six months of the date on which it came to the complainant's notice. Where a complaint is made after this period, the Corporate Services Officer or Business Support Manager may investigate if there are good reasons why the complaint was not raised within the specified period. Concerns are not subject to a legislated timeframe.

If a complaint is made on behalf of someone else, the organisation must obtain authorisation from the patient involved. If the patient is unable to provide consent, authorisation will be sought within the applicable legal framework. All complaint records are held securely in the organisation's central records. Communications will be sent by secure email or Royal Mail Tracked delivery as appropriate.

The organisation's approach to all complaints is to provide an open and transparent explanation of the events giving rise to the concern. All responses will include:

·      An explanation of how the complaint has been considered.

·      A factual account of the events.

·      An apology where appropriate.

·      A clear statement as to whether the complaint, in full or in part, is upheld.

·      The conclusions reached, including any remedial action the organisation considers appropriate.

·      Where possible, information about any lessons learned.

It is a great morale boost when patients, families, carers, or relatives take the time to write in appreciation of the care they have received. All compliments are recorded centrally, acknowledged, and passed on to the staff involved. Compliments can be sent by any of the communication methods listed in Section 8.10.

If a patient remains dissatisfied with the outcome of their complaint and wishes to seek independent adjudication, they may contact one of the following bodies:

Private Patients

Patients whose treatment was funded by themselves or by private medical insurance may write to the Independent Sector Complaints Adjudication Service (ISCAS) within six months of the date of the final response letter: ISCAS, CEDR, 3rd Floor, 100 St Paul's Churchyard, London, EC4M 8BU. Tel: +44 020 7536 6091. Email: [email protected]. Website: iscas.cedr.com.

NHS Patients

NHS patients who are dissatisfied with the outcome of their complaint may write to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman: Millbank Tower, Millbank, London, SW1P 4QP. Website: ombudsman.org.uk.

Concerns, complaints, and compliments can be directed to: Chequers Health Group Ltd., Chequers Health Centre, Rushlake Drive, Bolton, BL1 3RL. Telephone: +44 01204 928850. Email: [email protected].