Formal Complaints

Crossroad surgery operates an in-house complaints procedure as part of the NHS System for dealing with complaints.

Our system meets the appropriate national criteria.

If you need to make a formal complaint regarding a specific issue with the service and care we provide, we would like to know about it.

We hope that most problems can be sorted out easily and quickly, often at the time they arise and with the person concerned.  If your problem cannot be sorted out in this way and you wish to make a formal complaint, we would like you to let us know as soon as possible, you can do this by completing our online complaints form, using the following link.

Make a complaint

You should make a complaint as soon as possible after there has been a problem. We would usually expect complaints to be made within twelve months of the incident concerned or not more than twelve months after you became aware of a problem if it arose from an incident within the previous twelve months.

Your complaint may also be made in person, in writing or by telephone to the Practice Manager at your Surgery. If you attend in person or telephone, the Practice Manager will write down the details of your complaint and may also ask you further questions so that they are clear of the precise nature of the problem.

Your complaint will be acknowledged within 3 working days either orally or in writing, and we will begin our investigation based on the available information.

We will aim where possible to respond to your complaint within 21 working days of the date when you raised it with us, however, should there be any further delay we will keep you informed.

Our response will include:

• An explanation of how the complaint has been considered.
• The conclusions reached.
• An apology, where this is appropriate.
• Any matters for which remedial action is needed and that these will be taken.
• An offer for you to discuss the problem in person, if you would like this.
• Advise you of your right to take your complaint to an alternative body.

We may also include:

• A response from a doctor depending on the nature of your complaint. The response may suggest a meeting to discuss the problem in depth. If a meeting is proposed, this would normally involve the Practice Manager and one Doctor for an administrative matter, or two Doctors for a medical matter. We encourage you to bring a friend or relative to the meeting if you wish. Alternatively, you or we might suggest that an impartial third party with experience in dealing with complaints might be present at the meeting.

Crossroad surgery are not able to deal with questions of legal liability or compensation, these must be channelled elsewhere. For further information please contact our complaints team, ask the Practice Manager or contact one of the organisations listed further below.

Asking Crossroad surgery to handle a complaint does not affect your right to contact any of the formal organisations to which you are entitled to make a complaint relating to the services we provide, or to seek advice from the Patient Advice and Liaison Service.

Crossroads surgery cannot respond to and will not normally react to anonymous complaints. If the comment or complaint is made on behalf of another person, we are not able for reasons of confidentiality to discuss details of the problem without the full written consent of that other person. If a meeting is to be held to discuss the problem, we would prefer both the person making the complaint and the person to whom the complaint relates to be present at the meeting if this is possible.

Asking for Help - If You're Not Confident Complaining

If you have a query or concern, but you’re not sure if you want to make a complaint or how to go about the process, you can speak to the Dorset Advocacy.

Dorset Advocacy
13-15 Jubilee Court
Paceycombe Way
Dorchester
DT1 3A

Visit the Dorset Advocacy website