Compliments and complaints

If you would like to share some positive feedback about the practice and/or our staff, please do this via email leyburnsurgery@nhs.net or telephone on 01969 622391.

The dispensary team are always keen for your feedback and invite you to print, complete and return their feedback questionnaire:

Dispensary patient feedback form [download Word doc]

If you have a complaint or concern about the treatment you have received from the doctors or any of the staff working at this practice, please let us know.

Click here to download a copy of our complaints procedure

How to complain

We hope that most problems can be sorted out easily and quickly, often at the time they arise and with the person concerned. If your problem cannot be sorted out in this way and you wish to make a complaint, we would like you to let us know as soon as possible, ideally within a matter or days, because this will enable us to establish what happened more easily. If it is not possible to do that, please let us have details of your complaint within six months of the incident which caused the problem or within six months of discovering that you have a problem, provided this is within 12 months of the incident.

Complaints should be addressed to Stephen Brown, Managing Partner. Alternatively you may ask for an appointment to see him to discuss your concerns. He will explain the procedure to you and make sure your concerns are dealt with promptly. It will be a great help if you are as specific as possible.

What we will do

We will acknowledge your complaint within two working days and aim to have looked into it within 10 working days of the date you raised it with us. We will by then be in a position to offer you an explanation or a meeting with the people involved. When we look into your complaint we will aim to:

• Find out what went wrong
• Make it possible for you to discuss the problem with those concerned, if you wish to do this
• Make sure you receive an apology, if this is appropriate
• Identify what we can do to ensure the problem doesn’t happen again.

Complaining on behalf of someone else

Please note that we strictly observe the rules of confidentiality. If you are complaining on behalf of someone else, we need to know that you have their consent to do so. A note signed by the person concerned will be required, unless they are incapable of providing this through illness.

Care Quality Commission

Leyburn Medical Practice is registered with the Care Quality Commission to provide healthcare services. You can raise any concerns with them by telephoning 03000 616161, emailing them at enquiries@cqc.org.uk or using the online form on their website: www.cqc.org.uk

Unresolved issues

If, after following all possible avenues, you remain dissatisfied with the response to your complaint, you have the right to ask the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman to review your case. This is an independent body established to investigate complaints about UK government departments and their agencies, and the NHS in England – and help improve public services as a result. You can write to the Ombudsman at:

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
Millbank Tower
Millbank
London
SW1P 4QP

Telephone: 0345 015 4033
Website: www.ombudsman.org.uk