Feedback, Comments & Complaints

Let Us Know Your Views

The team at Riverport Medical Practice aim to offer a good service – please refer to our Practice Leaflet. We are always looking for ways to improve the services we offer to patients. We are always interested to hear feedback about your experience at the practice. This is valuable to us to help us build and improve patient care.

Tell Us About Your Experiences Using The Comments Form 

  • Could you easily get through on the telephone?
  • Did you get an appointment with the practitioner you wanted to see?
  • Did you have a long wait?
  • Were our team helpful during your visit/phone call?

Practice Complaints Procedure

We endeavour to offer the best service to all our patients. If you feel we have fallen short please feel free to discuss this with any staff member. If the issue is not resolved to your satisfaction they will suggest you contact one of our Team Leaders or Managers, to whom you may talk to informally to discuss the problem. You will also be offered further advice on our formal complaints procedures. If you wish to follow this please let us know as soon as possible after a problem or issue arises.

If it is not possible to raise your complaint immediately, please let us have details of your complaint within the following timescales:

  • Within 12 months of the incident that caused the problem, or;
  • Within 12 months from when the complaint comes to your notice

The Practice will acknowledge your complaint within three working days.

When the Practice looks into your complaint it aims to:

  • Ascertain the full circumstances of the complaint.
  • Make arrangements for you to discuss the problem with those concerned, if you wish.
  • Make sure you receive an apology, where this is appropriate.
  • Identify what the practice can do to make sure the problem does not happen again.

Complaining On Behalf Of Someone Else

Please note that Riverport Medical Practice keeps strictly to the rules of medical confidentiality. If you are complaining on behalf of someone else, the practice needs to know that you have their permission to do so. A note signed by the person concerned will be required, unless they are incapable of providing this due to illness or disability.

Complaining To Other Authorities

The practice management team hope that if you have a problem you will use the Practice Complaints Procedure. However, if you feel you cannot raise your complaint with us, or you are dissatisfied with the response received from us, you can contact any of the following bodies:

  • NHS Complaints Advocacy Service, Tower Court Oakdale Road, Clifton Moor, YO30 4XL. 0300 012 4212
  • National Commissioning Board, Central Contact Centre, PO Box 16738, Redditch, B97 9PT. 0300 311 22 33. contactus@nhs.net
  • Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman:
    As a last resort, if you are not happy with the response from this practice, you can refer your complaint to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman who investigates complaints about the NHS in England. You can call the Ombudsman’s Complaints Helpline on 0345 015 4 033 or www.ombudsman.org.uk
  • Care Quality Commission:
    If you have a genuine concern about a staff member or regulated activity carried on by this Practice then you can contact the Care Quality Commission on 03000 616161, or alternatively visit the website: www.cqc.org.uk/contact-us

Help with other medical services

  • ICAS – Independent Complaints and Advocacy Service
    ICAS is a national service that supports people who wish to complain about their NHS care. Your local ICAS service can be found here: www.england.nhs.uk/2013/03/advocacy-complaint
  • PALS – Patient Advice Liaison Service
    PALS has been introduced to ensure that the NHS listens to patients, their relatives, carers and friends, and answers their questions and resolves their concerns as quickly as possible. For further information, please see: http://www.nhs.uk/chq/pages/1082.aspx?CategoryID=68

If you feel you need an interpreter to discuss your concern at the Practice, please let reception know and this can be arranged.

Feedback, comments and complaints form (pdf)
Feedback, comments and complaints form (MS Word)