Talk to us

We make every effort to provide the best service possible to everyone who attends our practice. However, we understand that we may not always get everything right and, by telling us about the problem you have encountered, enables us to improve our services and patient experience.

How to complain

It is usually best to speak to the practice in the first instance as we may be able to deal with the problem straight away.

If you wish to make a formal complaint, please do so as soon as possible - ideally within a matter of days. This will enable us to establish what happened more easily.

If doing that is not possible your complaint should be submitted within 12 months of the incident that caused the problem; or within 12 months of discovering that you have a problem.

You should address your complaint in writing to the Practice Manager. You should be as specific and concise as possible.

Alternatively, you can forward your complaint to in writing to

Mid and South Essex Integrated Care System · Phoenix House, Christopher Martin Road, Basildon, Essex, SS14 3HG

By telephone 01268 594444 or by e-mail Mseicb.complaints@nhs.net

 Complaining on behalf of someone else

We keep strictly to the rules of medical confidentiality. If you are not the patient, but are complaining on their behalf, you must have their permission to do so.

A written letter of consent must be sent from the patient stating they are unhappy with the treatment they have received and give permission for us to talk to a specified third party regarding the complaint.

Where the patient is incapable of providing consent due to illness or accident it may still be possible to deal with the complaint. Please provide the precise details of the circumstances which prevent this in your covering letter. 

What we will do

We will acknowledge your complaint within 3 working days and aim to have fully investigated within 21 working days of the date it was received. If we expect it to take longer, we will explain the reason for the delay and tell you when we expect to finish.

When we investigate your complaint, we will look into the circumstances; make sure you receive an apology if this is appropriate and take steps to make sure any problem does not arise again.

You will receive a final letter setting out the result of any practice investigations or you may be invited to meet in person to attempt to resolve the issue.

Confidentiality

Chelmer Medical Partnership will ensure that all complaints are investigated with the utmost confidentiality and that any documents are held separately from the patient’s healthcare record.

Advocacy support

• POhWER support centre can be contacted via 0300 456 2370
• Advocacy People gives advocacy support on 0330 440 9000
• Age UK on 0800 055 6112
• The Local Council can give advice on local advocacy services

Taking it further

If you remain dissatisfied with the outcome you may refer the matter to:

PALS (Patient Advice Liaison), NHS England, Swift House

Hedgrows Business Park, Colchester Road, Essex Telephone Number – 01245 398770

The Healthcare Commission Complaints Team, Peter House

Oxford Street, Manchester, M1 5AX, Telephone Number – 020 7448 9200 www.healthcarecomission.org.uk

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman

Millbank Tower Millbank, London, SW1P 4QP Telephone Number - 0345 0154033 www.ombudsman.org.uk 

Your feedback and suggestions are important to us.

Please click on the feedback form to send your suggestions into us. You will not receive a response to your feedback.

Please only use this form for feedback on the practice as to how we can improve the service for you. 

Medical matters and complaints cannot be dealt with via this form. 

Alternatively, you can download a PDF complaint form and submit this to the practice.

You should be as specific and concise as possible.

We keep strictly to the rules of medical confidentiality. If you are not the patient, but are complaining on their behalf, we must have their written permission.