Complaint procedure at Regent Street Clinic
Regent Street Clinic has a proud history of offering professional primary care services throughout the UK since 1998.
Our values include patient centredness, openness, transparency, honesty, integrity and candour. Our aim is for patients to receive a high quality experience, however, if you have any concerns about our service we would very much like to know.
Our reception staff, practice manager and complaints manager will be happy to help.
Our aim is to resolve issues amicably, to learn and reflect on occasions when things go wrong, to improve our service and to apologise for any distress caused following a visit to Regent Street Clinic.
We genuinely value all of our service users.
Patient Complaint Procedure
Purpose
Regent Street Clinic is committed to delivering safe, effective and compassionate healthcare. We recognise that patients have the right to complain if they are dissatisfied with any aspect of the service they receive.
Complaints are welcomed as an opportunity to improve patient experience, strengthen clinical governance and enhance the quality and safety of our services.
This policy complies with the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, including Regulation 16 (Receiving and Acting on Complaints).
Scope
This policy applies to:
- All employees
- Management team
- Clinicians
- Contractors
- Temporary staff
- Any individual acting on behalf of Regent Street Clinic
Principles
Regent Street Clinic will ensure that every complaint is:
- Taken seriously.
- Investigated fairly.
- Managed confidentially.
- Responded to promptly.
- Used to improve services.
- Free from discrimination or victimisation.
Patients will never receive less favourable treatment because they have raised a complaint.
Time Limit for Making a Complaint
Regent Street Clinic™ encourages patients to raise any concerns as soon as possible so that they can be investigated promptly and fairly. Complaints must be submitted within three (3) months of the date of the treatment or service giving rise to the complaint.
Complaints received after this three-month period will not be investigated as, in the Clinic’s reasonable opinion, the passage of time makes it difficult or impossible to conduct a fair and thorough investigation.
Who May Complain
Complaints may be made by:
- Patients (service users)
- Parents or guardians if patients are under age 18 years
- Someone acting on the patient’s (service user’s) behalf with written consent received by e-mail to resolutions@regentstreetclinic.co.uk
- Someone with appropriate authority if the patient lacks capacity having forwarded the authority document to resolutions@regentstreetclinic.co.uk
- Legal representatives.
- Representatives of deceased patients where legally appropriate.
How to Make a Complaint
Complaints may be submitted:
- By email to resolutions@regentstreetclinic.co.uk
- By letter to 2 Regent Street, Nottingham NG1 5BQ
- By telephone – 0333 455 9070
- In person (verbally)
The following information must be provided:
- Patient name
- Date of birth
- Contact details
- Description of the complaint
- Relevant dates
- Desired outcome
Stage 1 – Local Resolution
Every complaint will be acknowledged within three working days.
A complaint investigator will:
- Review the complaint.
- Obtain relevant records.
- Speak with staff where appropriate.
- Contact the complainant if clarification is required.
Regent Street Clinic aims to provide a full written response within 20 working days.
Where this is not possible, the complainant will receive an explanation together with a revised timescale.
Stage 2 – Senior Internal Review
If the complainant remains dissatisfied, they may request an internal review within 20 working days.
The review will be undertaken by a senior clinician, either Nichola Mistry or Sara Dixon, or another senior clinician who has not been directly involved in the complaint wherever possible.
The reviewer may:
- Review all documentation.
- Seek further evidence.
- Obtain independent clinical advice if required.
- Recommend further action.
A written response will normally be issued within 20 working days.
Stage 3 – Final Review
If dissatisfaction remains after Stage 2, the complainant may request a final review.
The final review will normally be undertaken by Dr Bobby Ahmed, Medical Director, who will review:
- The complaint.
- Clinical records.
- Investigation findings.
- All correspondence.
- Any additional submissions.
The final written response will include:
- Findings.
- Conclusions.
- Any apology where appropriate.
- Lessons learned.
- Actions taken.
Completion of this stage concludes Regent Street Clinic’s internal complaints process.
Conflict of Interest
Where the complaint concerns Dr Bobby Ahmed or where he has had substantial personal involvement in the events complained of, the Stage 3 Final Review will instead be undertaken by Saleem Azam, Quality Manager.
If either individual has a conflict of interest, Regent Street Clinic may appoint an appropriately qualified independent clinician or governance professional to undertake the final review.
Learning From Complaints
Every complaint will be recorded within the Complaints Register.
Information reviewed includes:
- Nature of complaint
- Clinical risk
- Root causes
- Themes
- Corrective actions
- Preventive actions
Learning outcomes will be discussed during governance meetings and incorporated into quality improvement programmes where appropriate.
Duty of Candour
Where a complaint identifies a notifiable patient safety incident, Regent Street Clinic will comply with the statutory Duty of Candour and ensure openness, honesty and timely communication with the patient.
Confidentiality
Complaints will be handled in accordance with:
- UK GDPR
- Data Protection Act 2018
- Common law duty of confidentiality
Information will only be disclosed where necessary for investigation or where required by law.
Record Keeping
Complaint records will be maintained securely and separately from the patient’s clinical record where appropriate.
Records will include:
- Complaint received
- Investigation
- Correspondence
- Findings
- Outcome
- Learning actions
Records will be retained in accordance with the organisation’s Records Management Policy.
External Organisations
Patients may also raise concerns with appropriate external organisations where relevant.
These may include:
Care Quality Commission (CQC)
The CQC does not usually investigate individual complaints but welcomes information about services to inform its regulatory activity.
General Medical Council (GMC)
Where concerns relate to a doctor’s fitness to practise.
Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)
Where concerns relate to the handling of personal information.
Regent Street Clinic encourages patients to complete the internal complaints procedure before approaching external organisations wherever appropriate.
Equality and Diversity
Reasonable adjustments will be made to enable all patients to access the complaints procedure, including providing information in alternative formats or arranging interpreter services where required.
Monitoring
The Quality Manager will prepare periodic reports summarising:
- Number of complaints
- Themes
- Response times
- Outcomes
- Lessons learned
- Quality improvement actions
These reports will be reviewed by the Management Team as part of the clinical governance programme.