We’re very proud of the service we provide in each of our practice bases and we work hard to offer safe, effective healthcare that meets you and your family’s needs.

However, we realise that sometimes things can go wrong. When that happens, we need you to let us to know so that we can try to help you hopefully put things right – and make sure that we learn from your experience.

We have a Middlewood Complaints Policy and can provide you with a copy of our Patient Information Leaflet, which will guide you through the process.

Complaints can be made in person, by telephone or in writing/via email. If you would like to speak to someone in person about your complaint, please contact our reception staff in the first instance and they will guide you on next steps.

Our Management Team are responsible for investigating, mediating, and providing guidance and support about the complaints process, for patients and relatives as well as for staff.  Any correspondence regarding the process, investigation and outcomes will be generated by our Practice Management Team.

 

Complaining on Behalf of Someone Else

If you would like someone else to complain on your behalf, we will need a signed letter of consent from you before we discuss or share any information. This is because we have a duty of confidentiality and are bound by data protection legislation. Likewise, if you are a relative or carer complaining on someone else’s behalf, we will require the signed consent of the patient, or the person who has Power of Attorney over the person’s health and welfare.

Please complete the Patient Complaint – Consent to Representative form – you will need to print it out and complete or please ask at reception if you need a printed version.  Completing this form will provide us with the written consent that we need.

There are exceptional circumstances where it won’t be necessary for you to submit this completed form to us.  For example, the person you act on behalf of may lack capacity to provide consent or you may already be appointed to act by a Power of Attorney that covers healthcare.   We can provide you with further information about this if you think it’s relevant to you.

 

Making A Complaint About Us To Someone Else

We’d always rather hear from you direct but we realise that sometimes you might find it easier to talk to someone else about your concerns.

If this is the case you can contact:

NHS Cheshire And Merseyside ICB Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALs)

PALs can help you in many ways. It can:

• help you with queries about healthcare services
• help you have a better understanding of the roles and responsibilities of healthcare services
• listen to your concerns about NHS services and provide impartial advice and assistance to try and resolve a problem
• help you resolve an issue more informally and often more urgently than if you were to make a formal complaint
• identify when your experience could help with service improvement
• signpost you to other services and organisations that may be able to help you.

Tel: 0800 132 996

Email: enquiries@cheshireandmerseyside.nhs.uk

Postal:

Patient Experience Team

NHS Cheshire and Merseyside

No 1 Lakeside

920 Centre Park Square

Warrington

WA1 1QY

 

HealthWatch

Healthwatch Cheshire East, part of Healthwatch Cheshire, is an independent voice for the people of Cheshire East to help shape and improve local health and care services.

They want to hear about your views, needs and experiences to help Cheshire East get the best possible health and care.

If you would like assistance with a complaint you can contact either the Independent NHS Complaints Advocacy Service (ICAS) for Cheshire:

Healthwatch Cheshire CIC

Sension House

Denton Drive

Northwich

Cheshire

CW9 7LU

Tel: 0300 323 0006

Website: https://www.healthwatchcheshire.org.uk

Email: info@icascheshire.org.uk

NHS England

Alternatively, you can contact NHS England using the following contact details:

NHS England

PO Box 16738

Redditch

B97 9PT

Tel: 0300 311 2233

Website: NHS England » Feedback and complaints about NHS services

Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman

if you feel that you need to take the matter further, you can get in touch with the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman on 0345 015 4033 or see the website https://www.ombudsman.org.uk.