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Complaints policy

1. INTRODUCTION

The scope of the complaints procedure is to ensure effective implementation of the event reporting policy; and to adequately capture and respond to any concerns or complaints raised by patients accessing the service. Lyphe strives to ensure that legislative processes are adhered to and effectively managed, to support patient safety and patient experience.

Lyphe’s ethos on complaints are: 

  • To ensure transparency with patients; notifying them of their rights to make a complaint if they feel they are having a negative experience.
  • Patients will be supported through the complaints procedure, and reminded that complaints are healthy for the organisation, as it allows for improvements in service delivery.
  • Patients will not be penalised for making a complaint, and their care will not be impacted as a result.
  • Patients have a right to their complaint being thoroughly investigated. – Patients have the right to be updated regarding the various stages of the complaints.
  • Patients have the right to appeal the complaints decision, if they are unsatisfied with the outcome.
  • Patients have the right to escalate their complaints to an independent review board, if they feel they were not adequately supported by the service.
  • We have a duty of candour to relay all information to our patients, regarding their complaints and the outcome of their complaints, in line with confidentiality and data protection.
  • Patient complaints to be utilised as lessons learned for the organisation, and improvement of patient care, safety, and experience.

The procedure outlines how complaints are managed within the organisation.

2. APPLIES TO

All staff at Lyphe Clinic including contractors.

3. RELEVANT LYPHE SOP/POLICY DOCUMENTATION

  • Lyphe Quality Assurance Policy
  • Lyphe Incident reporting policy
  • Lyphe Governance and Monitoring Policy
  • Safeguarding Policy

4. PROCEDURE

All patients are entitled to a positive healthcare experience, where their needs are met and they are treated with dignity and respect. In order to monitor clinical governance and patient experience, complaints are necessary to review areas of improvement and provide the organisation with early warning signs of shortcomings in service provisions. All complaints remain confidential.

Patient Procedure

Complaints procedure

Stage 1 – Local Resolution – Assistance Service Manager

  • The complaints handler is responsible for responding to the patient within 3 working days, to schedule a fact-finding call.
  • The complaints handler will review all the patient records and carry out an investigation pertaining to the complainant’s matter.
  • A fact find will be completed, where the complaints handler will the matter.
  • The handler has 20 working days to complete and respond to the complainant, if they are unable to achieve this deadline, the patient is to be updated via phone/email, and a new deadline is set.
  • If the complainant is unhappy with the outcome, then they can appeal and move to the next stage.

If patients require further details, or wish to view our complaints procedure in full, they may request this via the Clinic.