Comments and Complaints

Complaints Procedure

If you would like to make a comment or complaint about a service or treatment you, or a member of your family, have received please let us know as soon as possible.

How do I make an informal complaint?

Please speak to the Practice Manager or Senior Receptionist. This gives you the opportunity to sort out any problems immediately without going through a formal process.

If you do not feel able to make your complaint directly to them, you may contact the Barnsley Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) based at Barnsley Hospital (www.pals.nhs.uk). The officers there will be able to help and advise you.

How do I make an formal complaint?

Complaints are welcomed because our service can only be improved if you know about any problems. Please write to the Practice Manager and include the following details:

  • Your full name and address
  • The name of the person the complaint is about
  • The date of birth of the person the complaint is about so that records can be found
  • The name and work address of the person or service you wish to complain about
  • The date the 'incident' you wish to complain about happened
  • Details of what you are complaining about

If you are complaining on behalf of someone else, you must have the person's permission.

What will happen next?

The practice acknowledge your complaint within 3 working days. Your concerns will be investigated and a full reply will be sent to you within 10 working days. If a full reply can not be sent within this time, you will be informed of progress and the reason for the delay.

If you are unhappy about our response, we can arrange a meeting between yourself, the relevant staff and a go-between to talk through your concerns.

Occasionally a complaint may still not be resolved at this stage. If so, you can request an Independent Review by writing to the Convenor at Barnsley Primary Care Trust or contact the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (www.ombudsman.org.uk).

We hope that if you have a problem, you will use our complaints procedure. We believe this will give us the best chance of putting right whatever has gone wrong and an opportunity to improve our practice.

Compliments, Comments and Suggestions

If you, or a member of your family, are happy with the care and treatment you have received and wish to send a compliment to the practice, or have a suggestion or comment to make, please address these to the Practice Manager. Thank you.