Last reviewed October 2023

Date of next review October 2024

Cleggs Lane Medical Practice and its staff will do its utmost to provide every patient with excellent service. However we understand that it may sometimes be necessary to bring to our attention something you are unhappy with. Patients who wish to complain must follow the following procedure and can expect the following. Any persons outside the patient list or practice workforce will need to complain straight to an outside organisation.

In the first instance patients are encouraged to complain verbally at reception, the reception team may be able to solve the problem there and then. If this is not possible patients can ask to speak to the Practice Manager (Diane Hook) or Dr Ugo Umeadi Every effort will be made for a conversation to take place within the next working day. If a resolution cannot be met verbally the complainant will be asked to make a formal complaint in writing, by email, over the phone or in person.

When making a complaint, it is advised that the complaint is made as soon as possible. We recommend that complaints are made no later than 12 months after the date of the event or 12 months after the date of which you become aware of the event. Complaints made after this period may not be upheld as it would be difficult to investigate events older than 12 months.

If it is felt a more formal method is necessary patients can complain or comment in writing direct to the Practice Manager via email or post (details below). You can expect an acknowledgement of your complaint within 5 working days. Depending on the nature of the complaint a full response can be expected from 5 working days up to 28 days. The response will be sent via email or post and every effort will be made to get this back to you ASAP. If for any reason patients feel complaining to the Practice Manager is not appropriate, then a complaint to the GP can be made. However, if the management team deem it appropriate for the Practice Manager to respond to a complaint made to the GP, then the response will come from her.

In cases where the complaint requires investigation to deep level, the practice reserves the right to seek advice and guidance from their chosen legal advisor ( work nest ) or medical union ( MDU). If this happens, the complaint response may take longer than the 28 day period due to the time it takes to receive feedback from these external sources.

We are hopeful that most complaints and comments can be resolved at this level. However Patients who feel this has not happened can complain or comment to the Ombudsman. This is an NHS organisation which is completely independent from the practice, details are also listed below.

We understand that some patients might find it difficult to make a complaint. Some may need extra support or even an advocate to help support and represent them during the complaints process. We are happy for patients to seek support from external advocacy services and as such have included the details of a local independent service based in Salford below.

Mind in Salford

Mind in Salford
The Angel Centre
1 St Philips Place
Salford
M3 6FA
0161 710 1070

Offices are open from 9.30am to 5 pm Monday to Friday (Except Bank holidays)

It is understood, due to the nature of General Practice that patients may need to contact external organisations to seek advice or complain. Details of some of these organisations are listed below

Practice Complaints managers

Diane Hook – Practice Manager
129/131 Cleggs Lane
Little Hulton
M38 9RS
E: gmicb-sal.cleggslane@nhs.net
T: 0161 799 4001

Dr U Umeadi
Address as above
E: gmicb-sal.cleggslane@nhs.net

Salford Patient Services
NHS GM
Civic Centre
Chorley Road
Swinton
M27 5AW
T: 0161 779 8800
E: gmicb-sal.patientservices@nhs.net

Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman

Millbank Tower,
Millbank,
London,
SW1P 4QP
T: 0345 015 4033
E: phso.enquiries@ombudsman.org.uk
F: 0300 061 4000

The HSO published Principles of Good Complaint Handling, in November 2008, outlining the approach the HSO believes the NHS and other public bodies should adopt when responding after things go wrong. More information is available from the HSO website.