We welcome patient feedback and want to make improvements in the services we provide. We use this feedback to look at the things that matter most to our patients, carers and their families.
To provide feedback:
- take part in the Friends and Family Test, use this link or paper copies at each surgery
- telephone the surgery 01761 413334
- email us on bswicb.svmg@nhs.net
- leave a review on the Care Opinion website
To make a complaint:
All complaints will be treated in the upmost strictest confidence.
The surgery must keep a record of all complaints and copies of all correspondence relating to complaints but these records will be kept separate from the patient’s medical records.
Our aim is to provide you with the very best medical service. If at any time you feel that we have not achieved this and want to make your feelings known, please communicate this if possible at the time. Some issues can be sorted out quickly and easily, often at the time they arise with the person concerned or with a manager on site.
If this is not a suitable way to resolve your complaint and you wish to make a formal complaint you should do so as soon as possible after the event. You can either:
- email us on bswicb.svmg@nhs.net
- write to us and drop into any site or post to, Somer Valley Medical Group, Gullock Tyning, Midsomer Norton, Radstock, BA3 2UH
- Call reception (option 1) on 01761 413334
The period for making a complaint is normally:
- 12 months from the date on which the event which is the subject of the complaint occurred
- 12 months from the date on which the event which is the subject of the complaint comes to the complainant’s notice
Complaining on behalf of someone else
We adhere to the strict rules of personal and medical confidentiality.
If you wish to make a complaint on behalf of a patient, we require written consent from the patient. This is to confirm that they are dissatisfied with the treatment they received and that we have their permission to speak with you.
Please ask at reception for a third-party complaints form, which includes a section that the patient needs to sign. Where the patient is incapable of providing consent due to illness or accident, please provide the precise details of the circumstances which prevent this in a covering letter. Please be aware that we are unable to discuss any issue relating to someone else without their express permission, which must be in writing, unless the above circumstances apply.
What happens next
We aim to acknowledge your complaint within 72 hours.
Our aim is to report back to the respondent within a reasonable timescale and this might be as little as two weeks although, in some cases, a full investigation may require more time especially if the person concerned is away. If this is the case, we will inform you of this and keep you updated. The investigator will then discuss with the appropriate members of the staff and may inspect relevant documents. At the conclusion of the investigation, your complaint may result in a clinical conversation, email or letter detailing the outcomes.
How to make a complaint about an NHS service
If you’re unhappy with an NHS service, then it’s worthwhile talking about your concerns with us early on, as we may be able to sort it quickly.
If you would prefer to speak to someone else outside of our surgery, then you can contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS). This is a free, confidential and independent service that you can use to talk to someone who understands the complaints process and can offer some guidance and support.