It is important that GP surgeries listen to feedback whether it is provided formally or informally.
There are many ways for patients to provide their feedback to us.
As much as we try to provide all our patients with a safe, caring and effective service there may be times when you have a concern about your care that you want to raise with the practice.
Before making a formal complaint you might want to discuss the matter verbally with the Practice Manager. They won't always be available right away but will usually be able to phone you back within one working day.
In the majority of cases this can lead to your concerns being resolved and sparing you the trouble of having to commit your concerns to writing.
Sometimes a patient will feel so strongly about a matter that they want to want to make a formal complaint.
Last Updated: Friday, 07 February 2025
Most problems can be sorted out quickly and easily, often at the time they arise with either the person concerned or with the Practice Manager
Please feel free to ask to speak to the Practice Manager, if they are not available we can arrange for her to contact you.
The details of our Practice Manager can be found in the Administration section of our Meet The Team page
If you are not able to resolve your complaint in this way and wish to make a formal complaint you should do so, preferably in writing, as soon as possible after the event and ideally within a few days, as this helps us to establish what happened more easily.
In any event, this should be: within 12 months of the incident, or within 12 months of you discovering that you have a problem.
State your case clearly giving as much detail as you can. You can use our template complaint form linked on this page or simply write a letter.
You are unable to complain about someone else’s treatment without their written consent.
Our standard template includes a third-party authority form to enable a complaint to be made by someone else.
We look to settle complaints as soon as possible. We will acknowledge receipt of written complaints within 3 working days, and aim to have looked into the matter within 10 working days. You may then receive a formal reply in writing, or you may be invited to meet with the person(s)concerned to attempt to resolve the issue. If the matter is likely to take longer than this we will let you know, and keep you informed as the investigation progresses.
When looking into a complaint we attempt to see what happened and why, to see if there is something we can earn from it, and make it possible for you to discuss the issue with those involved if you would like to do so.
When the investigations are complete your complaint will be determined and a response sent to you.
If your complaint involves more than one organisation (e.g. social services) we will liaise with that organisation so that you receive one coordinated reply. We may need your consent to do this. Where your complaint has been sent initially to an incorrect organisation, we may seek your consent to forward this to the correct person to deal with.
The response letter will include details of the result of your complaint and also your right to escalate the matter further if you remain dissatisfied with the response. Above all we will always deal with your complaint in an open, transparent and respectful way.
Most of the organisations that you can escalate your complaint to will require you to have first taken up your complaint with the Surgery.
You can escalate a complaint to
https://www.cheshireandmerseyside.nhs.uk/contact/complaints/
Whether you raise your matter verbally or in writing we aim to treat all patient concerns with respect and compassion.
The GP Patient Survey is an independent survey run by Ipsos on behalf of NHS England. The survey is sent out to over two million people across England. The results show how people feel about their GP practice
The surveys are sent to a randomly selected sample of patients for each practice between January and April each year. The results are normally published in July
the NHS Friends and Family Test (FFT) was created to help service providers and commissioners understand whether patients are happy with the service provided, or where improvements are needed. It's a quick and anonymous way to give your views after receiving NHS care or treatment.
Since the FFT was launched in 2013, millions of patients have submitted feedback. It's used by most NHS services, including community care, hospitals, mental health services, maternity services, GP and dental practices, emergency care, and patient transport
We collect FFT feedback via text messages which are sent out to patients shortly after they have been to the surgery for an appointment. There is also a paper version available at reception.
We are always pleased to get any feedback from our patients. It all helps us to better understand how patients feel about the service we provide.
You can send feedback to us in any written form. If your comments are negative we would prefer it if you gave us the chance to consider it before you go to any of the many public forums. It could be a relatively simple thing to put right.
If you have positive feedback for the surgery or any of our large clinical team then of course we would be delighted to hear it.
We have an active patient participation group (PPG) at the practice.
PPGs have an increasingly important role to play in helping to give patients a say in the way services are delivered to best meet their needs, and the needs of the local community.
PPGs can help GPs to develop an equal partnership with their patients. They can help them to communicate accurately and honestly with individual patients, and with the wider community about key health matters.
They can also help to reduce costs and improve services by identifying changes that the practice may not have considered, allowing resources to be used more efficiently. What is more, they can develop mutually supportive networks for patients and the practice, outside of individual appointments