Complaints Policy

Want to make a suggestion to the practice?

Your comments and suggestions are important to us, and we welcome your feedback about the practice and the services we offer.

• Is there something we do particularly well?
• Is there something we could improve?

Please use the form below to share your non-medical feedback or suggestions for improving our service. Your input helps us learn, grow, and provide better care.

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Complaint Procedure

Policy Statement

This policy provides a clear framework for managing patient complaints at Lambeth Walk Group Practice. It ensures that all concerns are handled promptly, fairly, and in line with best practice - while maintaining our commitment to delivering high-quality care to all patients.

Complaints

Most problems can be resolved quickly and easily, often at the time they arise and directly with the person involved. We encourage you to try this approach first whenever possible.

If you are unable to resolve your concern informally and wish to make a formal complaint, please do so as soon as possible after the event—ideally within a few days—as this makes it easier for us to investigate what happened.

In any case, complaints should be made:

• Within 12 months of the incident, or
• Within 12 months of becoming aware of the issue.

We take complaints seriously and aim to address concerns promptly and fairly.

How to Make a Complaint

What we do next

We aim to resolve complaints as quickly as possible. We will:

• Acknowledge receipt of your complaint within 3 working days
• Aim to investigate and respond within 10 working days

You may receive a formal written response, or be invited to meet with the person(s) involved to help resolve the issue. If the investigation is likely to take longer, we will let you know and keep you updated on progress.

As part of the investigation, we will:

• Review what happened and why
• Identify any learning or changes needed
• Offer you the opportunity to discuss the matter with those involved, if you wish

Once the investigation is complete, we will send you a final response, outlining the outcome of your complaint.

If your complaint involves more than one organisation (e.g. social services), we will coordinate with them to provide a joint response. We may need your consent to share relevant information.

If your complaint was sent to us in error, we may also seek your permission to forward it to the appropriate organisation.

The final response will include information about how your complaint was handled, the outcome, and your right to escalate the matter if you are not satisfied with our response.

Complaining on Behalf of Someone Else 

We are committed to maintaining strict medical and personal confidentiality. If you wish to make a complaint on behalf of someone else, we will need:

• Written consent from the patient, confirming they are unhappy with their care and authorising us to communicate with you about the matter.
• This may still require us to correspond directly with the patient, depending on the wording of the consent provided.

You can request a Complaints Form from reception, which includes a suitable section for the patient to sign and authorise the complaint.

If the patient is unable to give consent due to illness, accident, or incapacity, it may still be possible to investigate the complaint. In such cases, please provide full details of the circumstances in your covering letter.

If you are Dissatisfied with the Outcome

We are always keen to hear from our patients about their experiences at the Practice and the services we provide.

• Is there something we do particularly well?
• Is there something we could improve?

Your feedback helps us to learn, grow, and provide better care.

If you’d like to share your thoughts, please let us know. You can also ask to speak to our Complaints Manager, who will be happy to listen and support you.