Feedback and complaints

Aspen Medical Practice is always looking for ways to improve the service it offers to our patients. To do this effectively, the practice needs to know what you think about the services you receive. Tell us what we do best, where we don’t meet your expectations plus any ideas and suggestions you may have. Only by listening to you can the practice continue to build and improve upon the service it offers.

Giving feedback

To provide feedback:

Aspen 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.

At this Practice we always try to give you the best service possible but there may be times when you feel this has not happened. The purpose of this information is to explain what to do if you have a complaint about the service the Practice provides for you.

Our Practice procedure is not able to deal with questions of legal liability or compensation. However, we trust you will use the procedure to allow us to look into and, if possible, put right any problems you have identified or mistakes that have been made.

Using this procedure will not affect your right to take the complaint further if you so wish. Please note that we have to respect our duty of confidentiality to patients and a patient’s consent will be required if a complaint is not made by that patient in person.
If you wish to make a complaint, please email via the website.

We think it is important to deal with complaints swiftly and you will normally be offered an appointment for a preliminary meeting to discuss matters within a few days. You may bring a friend or relative with you to that meeting.

We will try to address your concerns fully, provide you with an explanation and discuss any action that may be needed. We hope that, at the end of the meeting, you will feel satisfied that we have dealt with the matter thoroughly. However, if this is not possible and you wish to continue with your complaint, we will direct you to the appropriate authorities who will be able to help you. The Patient Advisory Liaison Service (PALS) or the Ombudsman will deal with any complaints you may have. Their first action is usually to refer the complaint back to the surgery.

Complaining to other authorities

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)

Concerned but don’t want to complain? Have a problem, but don’t know who to talk to? Worried but not sure what to do? Need information, but don’t know who to ask?

The Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) can help. Whether you are a patient or a carer let us help to make it easier. PALS is a confidential service that provides information advice and support for patients, families and carers. PALS seek to promote the importance of listening to patient enquiries and concerns. To support this, the PALS team work closely with staff who have direct contact with patients, their families and carers, providing help and information regarding enquiries or concerns raised by those receiving care or treatment.

For further enquiries call PALS on Freephone 0800 019 3282 or land-line 01452 566 698. The phone lines have an answering service so messages can be left at any time and will be responded to on the next working day.

Email
ghn-tr.pals.gloshospitals@nhs.net

PALS Office
Gloucestershire Royal Hospital
Great Western Road
Gloucester
GL1 3NN