The aim of all in the Practice, doctors, nurses and staff, is to provide the best possible service to all our patients but there may be times when you feel that this has not happened. In line with NHS procedures and national standards we operate a Practice-based complaints procedure which we hope will resolve most issues speedily and satisfactorily.

Using our procedure does not diminish your right to complain to the Local Health Board, nor does it compromise your legal position.

We aim to resolve problems quickly and responsively. The person nominated to co-ordinate the complaints process is the Practice Manager, Keith Benning. In the first instance please talk to, write to or telephone him. Please let us know as soon as possible that you are concerned as this will enable us to establish what happened more easily.

We have to keep strictly to the rules of medical confidentiality. If you complain on behalf of someone else we will have to obtain the consent of that person before investigating the complaint further.

• we will acknowledge your concern/complaint within one working day and answer any questions about the process
• we will treat your complaint confidentially - only those who need to know in the Practice will be advised and information will not be shared outside without your consent
• your complaint will be recorded and a decision made on how best to undertake any investigation
• we will find out what happened and why
• you will be offered a meeting within seven working days with the Practice Manager and/or the doctor/ nurse involved to discuss the problem. You will be welcome to bring a relative or friend
• we will make sure that you receive an apology where this is appropriate
• we will identify what we can do to make sure that the problem doesn't happen again

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

However, if you feel that you cannot raise your complaint with us, or if you are unhappy with the result of our investigation you can ask for an independent review of your complaint.
Contact:-

Independent Review Secretariat, North Wales
PO Box 125
Mold
CH7 1WH
Telephone : 01352 700 227
Fax : 01352 754 649

Further information is available in the leaflet 'Complaints in the NHS' published by NHS Wales and available in the surgery.