Suggestions, Comments and Complaints

Our aim is to provide the highest level of care for all our patients. We will always be willing to hear if there is any way that you think that we can improve the service we provide. If you would like to give us any feedback or wish to make a complaint, please complete our online form.

Please only use this form for comments about the practice and suggestions as to how we can improve our service to you. Medical matters and official complaints cannot be dealt with via this form. If you have a query regarding a medical matter, make an appointment to see the appropriate person.

Practice Complaints Procedure

Tamar Valley Health welcomes comments, compliments, concerns and complaints. We always aim to provide the best care we can. However, we know that sometimes things can go wrong. When this happens we believe that is it often most effective to sort problems out quickly and informally. Please talk to any member of staff if you have a problem or concern.

The NHS Complaints Procedure is a more formal way of resolving a concern. We want to assure people that they can make a complaint without fear of their care being affected. We believe it is important to understand why things go wrong so that we can prevent such things happening again.

There are two stages to the Complaints Procedure. The first stage is called ‘Local Resolution. This is where we work with you to resolve your complaint. If after this, you feel your complaint to be still unresolved you can progress to the second stage by approaching the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman for an Independent Review.

If you would like to make a formal complaint, please contact the Complaints Officer, Dr. S Porter or Miss Kelly Graham, Operations Manager. You can do this in writing (address details below). The Independent Complaints Advocacy Service (ICAS) can help you make a complaint if you wish.

Please try to make your complaint as soon as possible. There are time limits; normally twelve months after the event you are complaining about (or became aware of the matter for complaint). However, there are exceptions to this and we will always try to help as much as we can.

If you are making a complaint on behalf of another person, we may need to ask that person’s consent before investigating the complaint.

The Complaints Manager will discuss with you how you would like your complaint resolved and how long this might take. The person who investigates your complaint may need to talk to other staff and look at your medical records. They will be careful to ensure that any information about you is kept confidential. Your complaint will not be recorded in your medical notes.

We will acknowledge your complaint and how we have agreed to resolve it within 3 working days. We will keep you informed of progress; letting you know of any delays in resolving your complaint. We will usually advise you of the outcome by letter; however we are also happy to meet with you. We will let you know the outcome of the investigation and of action taken as a result.  If you are unhappy with any aspect of how we have handled your complaint, we would prefer you to tell us. This means that we can discuss if there are any other ways of locally resolving your concerns.

Useful Contacts

Miss Kelly Graham, Operations Manager
Tamar Valley Health
Callington Health Centre
Haye Road
Callington
Cornwall
PL17 7AW
Tel: 01579 382666

Dr S Porter, Complaints Officer (GP Partner)
Tamar Valley Health
Gunnislake Health Centre
The Orchard
Gunnislake
Cornwall
PL18 9JZ
Tel: 01822 832641

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)

Tel: 01752 439884  email: palsteam@ciospct.cornwall.nhs.uk

Independent Complaints Advocacy Service (ICAS)

1st Floor, 17 Dean Street, Liskeard, PL14 4AB

Tel: 01579 345193  email: liskeard.icas@seap.org.uk

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman

Millbank Tower
Millbank
London
SW1P 4QP

Tel: 0345 015 4033

NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly ICB

Part 2S,
Chy Trevail,
Beacon Technology Park,
Dunmere Road,
Bodmin,
PL31 2FR

Tel: 01726 627975
Email: ciosicb.complaints@nhs.net