COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE

We make every effort to give the best service possible to anyone that uses our services.

However, we are aware that things can go wrong, resulting in a patient or service user feeling that they have a genuine cause for complaint. If this is so, we would like the matter to be settled as quickly and amicably as possible.

To have your complaint investigated, you need to complain within 12 months of the event happening, or as soon as you first become aware of the issue you want to complain about. The time limit can be extended in special circumstances.

Interpreting Service

We can arrange for a meeting with our Complaints Lead and an Interpreter for any patient whose first language is not English and needs help with their complaint.

How to make a compliment or complaint

Whether you are happy or unhappy with the care and treatment that you have received, please get in touch, and let us know your views.

Receiving compliments and complaints is important to ensuring good quality healthcare within our Organisation – helping us to find out more about what we are getting right and what we can improve.

We hope this will help you to make your feelings and experiences known to the appropriate people. Should you have a complaint we hope this page will give you more information about what to do, who to contact and what happens next.

Mid Hampshire Healthcare endeavours to provide the best consideration of patient needs at all times. To help us make sure we provide the best possible care and attention, we offer patients the opportunity to tell us, informally, of any suggestions they have for the further improvement of their healthcare. Patients are encouraged to email or send a letter to our Head Office for the attention of the Quality, Services & Governance Manager.

Patients can email nikki.cobby@nhs.net and should include the 'Mid Hampshire Healthcare Suggestion' in the email subject, we aim to reply within ten working days.

If you wish to make a formal complaint about any aspect of our service, please address your concerns to Nikki Cobby, Quality, Services & Governance Manager in writing, email or alternatively arrange a meeting which will be documented. We will acknowledge your letter within ten working days of receipt and initiate a full internal investigation on your behalf. A written explanation will be sent to you within ten working days, but should the investigation take longer you will be kept informed. On receipt of the written explanation, you will be kept informed. On receipt of the written explanation, you will be offered the opportunity to meet in order to discuss the outcome further.

Letter address: - Mid Hampshire Healthcare Limited, Unit 6a Leylands Business Park, Colden Common, Winchester, Hampshire, SO21 1TH.

Email: - Nikki.Cobby@nhs.net and include the word 'complaint' in the email subject.

Formal Complaint

What we will do

We will contact you about your complaint within three working days and offer to discuss the best way to investigate it, including the time scales for a reply. We will aim to offer you an explanation within the that time frame, or a meeting with the people involved.

Find out what happened and what went wrong.

Invite you to discuss the problem with those involved if you would like this.

Apologise where this is appropriate.

Identify what we can do to make sure that the problem does not happen again.

Alternatively, you can choose to raise your complaint about Primary Care services directly with NHS England or the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS), if your complaint concerns care received at Hampshire Hospitals. If you need help in making your complaint you can also approach the Independent Complaints Advisory Service (ICAS).

If you are not satisfied with the outcome of your complaint at local level, you can ask The Health Service Ombudsman to independently review your case. Contact details can be found below:

NHS England

NHS Commissioning Board
PO Box 16738
Redditch
B97 9PT
E-mail: england.contactus@nhs.net
Please write ‘For the attention of the Complaints Manager’ in the subject line.
Tel: 0300 311 2233

Hampshire Hospitals Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)

The Customer Care Office,
Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital, Aldermaston Road,
Basingstoke,
Hampshire, RG24 9NA
Tel: 01256 486766
Email: pals@hhft.nhs.uk

Independent Complaints Advocacy Service (ICAS)

ICAS
1st Floor, Clarendon House
9-11 Church Street
Basingstoke
Hampshire RG21 7QG
Tel: 0845 600 8616 or 01256 463758
E-Mail: Basingstoke.icas@seap.org.uk
Website: Seap - NHS Complaints Advocacy website

The Health Service Ombudsman

The Health Service Ombudsman
Millbank Tower
Millbank
London SW1P 4QP
Tel: 0845 015 4033
Email: phso.enquiries@ombudsman.org.uk
Website: Ombudsman website
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