The Baby Clinic trading as Chequers Health Group (hereafter referred to as: TBC t/a CHG) Limited welcomes feedback about its services as a means of continuous improvement and is keen to receive any complaints or suggestions for improvement. This policy is to ensure all complaints and concerns are handled as efficiently and effectively as possible.
Definitions
Concern: A concern is an expression of worry or anxiety about something that may or may not be happening. It is a feeling of unease or apprehension about a situation, person, or event. Concerns can be rational or irrational, and they can be based on facts or assumptions. People express concerns when they want to bring attention to a potential problem or issue that may need to be addressed.
Complaint: A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction or annoyance about something that has happened or is happening. It is a formal or informal statement of displeasure or criticism about a product, service, or situation. Complaints are usually based on specific incidents or experiences that have not met the expectations of the person making the complaint. People make complaints when they want to seek redress or resolution for a perceived wrong or injustice.
Complainant: A complainant can be defined as an individual who raises a complaint.
Our Responsibilities
To provide an efficient, fair, and structured mechanism for handling complaints
To provide service users with access to the complaints handling process, including those with disabilities and special needs
To keep complainants informed as to the progress of their complaint and the expected timeframe for resolution
Bi-Monthly reviews of complaints.
Handling a complaint
Complaints can be emailed to complaints@chequershealth.co.uk
Upon receipt of a complaint, acknowledgement should be given to the complainant or in writing within 2 business days
The complaint is to be reviewed by the Senior Corporate Services Officer / Business Support Manager and graded accordingly to the complexity and severity of the issue raised
The complaint is to then be reviewed by the Clinical Quality Group who will co-ordinate the investigation and make the initial checks to see whether there are any confidentiality issues to consider, and whether the complaint involves more than one organisation
If the complaint does involve another organisation, consent will be required from the complainant, to pass on the letter to the organisation in order for a complete response to be issued.
Progress of the complaint, proposed actions, and the expected resolution must be communicated between the complainant and TBC t/a CHG
TBC t/a CHG aim to resolve complaints in a timely manner, within 20 business days
Complex complaints may take longer than 2 working days. In these cases, regular updates on the progress and likely timeframe must be communicated between the complainant and TBC t/a CHG
Time Limits on raising a complaint
A complaint must be made within twelve months of the date on which the matter which is subject of the complaint occurred or within six months of the date on which the matter which is subject of the complaint came to your notice. Where a complaint is made after the expiry period the Senior Corporate Services Officer / Business Support Manager may investigate the matter if they believe the service user has good reasons for not making the complaint within the specified period.
Time Limits on raising a concern
A concern is not subject to a legislated timeframe and the Senior Corporate Services Officer/Business Support Manager will apply the same discretion to considering a concern as with a formal complaint.
Confidentiality
If a complaint is made on behalf of someone else, TBC t/a CHG must obtain authorisation from the service user involved. If the service user is unable to provide such consent, The Baby Clinic will seek authorisation based on the legal framework to ensure the complaint can be progressed.
Letters of complaint or the responses are to be kept safe and secure in TBC t/a CHG’s central location.
Any emails sent, which contain personal data will be sent via an NHS.net email to the email address provided by the complainant.
All responses by letter will be sent by post, via Royal mail tracked to the address provided by the complainant.
Being Open
TBC t/a CHG policy is to provide those raising concerns and complaints with an open and transparent explanation of the events giving rise to their complaint. This will include:
An explanation of how the complaint has been considered
An apology if appropriate
An explanation based on facts
Whether the complaint in full or in part is upheld
The conclusions reached in relation to the complaint including any remedial action that CHG considers appropriate
Where possible, respond to people about any lessons learnt
Compliments It is a great morale booster for our staff when patients, friends, carers, or relatives take the time to write to us in appreciation of the treatment and care they received. Such correspondence is always recorded centrally, acknowledged, and passed on to the staff involved. This can be sent to us via the communication methods listed on this page.
Complainants Dissatisfaction If the complainant is still dissatisfied with the outcome of their complaint and feels that their case requires an independent adjudication, they can contact one of the bodies below:
Private patients – England / Wales / Scotland – (whose treatment was paid for by themselves or by insurance) can write (within six months of the date of the letter from the Regional Director) to the Independent Sector Complaints Adjudication Service (ISCAS),
Independent Sector Complaints Adjudication Service (ISCAS)
CEDR, 3rd Floor
100 St Paul’s Churchyard
London EC4M 8BU
https://iscas.cedr.com/contact/
Contact email address is: info@iscas.org.uk
020 7536 6091
NHS patients in England – Should a patient be dissatisfied with the outcome of their complaint they can write to the Parliamentary and Health Ombudsman, Millbank Tower, Millbank, London SWIP 4QP