Complaints procedure

Most problems can be resolved quickly and easily with the person concerned, often at the time they arise. This may be the approach you wish to try first.

If you are unable to resolve your complaint in this way, you may wish to make a formal complaint. This can be done either verbally or in writing.

When making a complaint, please provide as much detail as possible about the specific incident(s), as this will help us investigate your concerns thoroughly.

Please send written complaints to our feedback email: hnyicb-voy.btsfeedback@nhs.net

Verbal complaints can be made to any member of the Beech Tree Surgery team.

You may also make your complaint directly to Humber and North Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership Integrated Care Board, who commission our service:

• By telephone: 01904 555999 
• By email: hnyicb.experience@nhs.net
• By post: The Experience Team, Humber and North Yorkshire ICB, Health Place, Wrawby Road, Brigg DN20 8GS 

We aim to resolve complaints as promptly as possible. We will usually acknowledge receipt of your complaint within three working days. During the investigation, we may need to contact you for further information.

When investigating a complaint, we always consider what has happened and what we can learn from the experience.

If your complaint involves more than one organisation (e.g., social services), we will liaise with the other organisation to ensure you receive a coordinated response. We may require your consent to do this.

If your complaint was initially sent to the wrong organisation, we may seek your consent to forward it to the appropriate organisation for handling.

Once the investigation is complete, you will receive a final response. The full and final response should be completed within six months. This letter will include the outcome of your complaint and information about your right to refer the matter to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (details provided below) if you remain dissatisfied. You may also be invited to meet with relevant members of the Practice Team to discuss the complaint, should you find this helpful.

We adhere strictly to the rules of medical and personal confidentiality. If you wish to make a complaint and are not the patient involved, we will require the patient’s written consent to confirm that they are dissatisfied with their treatment and that we may communicate with someone else on their behalf.

In the event that the patient is deceased, we may agree to respond to a family member or anyone acting on their behalf, or who had an interest in the patient's welfare.

If the patient is incapable of providing consent due to illness, accident, or lack of mental capacity, it may still be possible to proceed with the complaint. Please provide full details of the circumstances preventing the patient from consenting in your email.

Please note that we cannot discuss any matter relating to another individual without their express written permission, unless one of the exceptions outlined above applies. If you are complaining on behalf of a child who is capable of making their own complaint, we will expect the child to contact us directly.

We may still need to correspond with the patient directly or, in some cases, may deal with the third party. This will depend on the wording of the authority provided.

You have the right to approach the Parliamentary & Health Service Ombudsman.

You can contact the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman:

• By post: Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, Citygate, Mosley Street, Manchester, M2 3HQ
• By Telephone: 0345 0154033
• Via their website: www.ombudsman.org.uk 

You may also approach PALS, Healthwatch or the Independent Health Complaints Advocacy for help or advice.

The local Healthwatch can be found at: www.healthwatch.co.uk 

The IHCA is able to be contacted at: www.seap.org.uk/services/nhs-complaints-advocacy