Your compliments, complaints and comments about the service(s) that we provide, the service that you received and the way you were treated as a patient are extremely important to us. All this information helps us to understand when things work well, so we can make sure examples of good practice are followed across other services. They also alert us early to any problems, so we can act quickly if things go wrong, or when standards fall short of what you expect.

We try to offer Patients the best possible service, however, if you are unhappy about anything please let us know. Where possible please try and discuss your concern with the staff member involved or where the issue cannot be solved in this manner please ask to speak to our Business Practice Manager who will try and resolve the issue for you. If the issue cannot be resolved informally and you wish to make a formal complaint please let us know as soon as possible. 

How to complain to the practice

We hope that most problems can be sorted 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 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:-

a. verbally in person or over the telephone

b. by e-mail gmicb-hmr.castletonhc@nhs.net

c. by letter

Complaints should be made within 12 months of the event that gave rise to the complaint, or within 12 months of the complainant becoming aware of it. Where a person could not reasonably have complained within this timescale, the practice will consider the complaint anyway.

What we will do

We shall acknowledge receipt of your complaint within three working days and aim to:
• Find out what happened and what went wrong.
• Make it possible for you to discuss the problem with those concerned if you would like this.
• Make sure you receive an apology, where this is appropriate.
• Identify what we can do to make sure the problem does not happen again.
• Write to you on completion of a complaint investigation explaining how it has been resolved and what appropriate action has been taken.

If you wish to complain on behalf of someone else

Please note that we keep strictly to the rules of medical confidentiality. If you are complaining on behalf of someone else, we have to know that you have their permission to do so. Please ensure our complaints form is signed to authorise that we can disclose to them (only in so far as is necessary to answer the complaint) confidential information about you, unless you/they are incapable of providing this due to illness or disability.

If you do not wish to complain direct to the practice you can contact the local Patient Services team:

Patient Services
Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale – NHS GM,
PO Box 100,
Rochdale, OL16 9NP

Email:
gmicb-hmr.complaints@nhs.net

Call:
01706 672 549

Alternatively, if you have any issues or concerns in relation to any other aspect of your NHS care, please contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) by telephoning 01706 652853.