COMPLAINTS Policy

We always try to give our patients the best care possible but there may be times when you feel this has not happened. If you have a complaint about your care we need to hear from you so that we can learn lessons, thereby continuously improving our care of patients. We have a written procedure in the Practice to ensure that we manage complaints in the most effective way, to the highest standard and we hope to the satisfaction of our patients.

​If we have gotten something wrong, we will apologise and where possible we will try to put things right.  We also aim to learn from our mistakes and use the information we gain to improve our services.

​If you are disappointed with any aspects of our service, please see the below procedure. All complaints will be dealt with in a strictly confidential manner.

​Sometimes, you might be concerned about matters that are not decided by us (external decisions made by the HSE) and we will then advise you about how to make your concerns known.

​Complaints Procedure

 Informal resolution

If possible, we believe it is best to deal with things as soon as possible and in the easiest and most direct way.  If you have a complaint, raise it with the person you are dealing with. She or he will try to resolve it for you there and then.  However, they may need time to look into it, and as such we will come back to you within 5 working days.

 If there are any lessons to learn from addressing your complaint, the member of staff will draw them to our attention.  If the member of staff can’t help, they will explain why and you can then submit your complaint formally for further investigation.

​Formal procedure:

Step 1

Complete this complaint form and submit it for attention of the Practice Manager.​ In the interest of fairness, we cannot investigate anonymous complaints.

​We adhere to the strictest rules of medical confidentiality. Therefore, if you wish to make a complaint and are not the patient involved we will require the written consent of the patient to confirm their consent for you to deal with the complaint on their behalf and for us to release medical details to you.

​Step 2

We will try to resolve your complaint as quickly as possible and will acknowledge it at the earliest possible opportunity and certainly within 5 working days. Our aim will be to have looked into the matter within 10 working days.  You will receive a formal reply in writing or you may be invited to meet with us to attempt to resolve the complaint to your satisfaction. 

If your complaint is such that it requires an investigation we will set one in progress and inform you of the process and who will carry it out and agree a timeline within which we will work. We will give you the opportunity to comment on the process and if a meeting is arranged you will be invited to bring a friend or relative with you. Our aim will be to try to adhere to a 30-day timeline and if there are reasons why it will take longer we will discuss with you.

 Step 3

When looking into a complaint we attempt to:

  • ØFind out what happened and what went wrong and why
  • ØMake it possible for you to discuss the problem with those concerned
  • ØEnsure you receive an apology where this is appropriate
  • ØIdentify what we can do to make sure the problem does not arise again

 We hope that we will be able to resolve your complaint quickly and to your satisfaction but if we believe we need assistance, for example mediation or other external assistance, we may arrange this in consultation with you.

Step 4
When the investigations are complete your complaint will be determined and a final response sent to you.  If your complaint is still not resolved to your satisfaction, there are several external options where you may bring your complaint, such as:

  • HSE
  • Medical Council

​

What we expect from you

In times of trouble or distress, some people may act out of character. There may have been upsetting or distressing circumstances leading up to a complaint.  We do not view behaviour as unacceptable just because someone is forceful or determined.

 We believe that all complainants have the right to be heard, understood and respected.  However, we also consider that our staff have the same rights.  We, therefore, expect you to be polite and courteous in your dealings with us. We will not tolerate aggressive or abusive behaviour, unreasonable demands or unreasonable persistence.