What should a GP practice complaints page say?

What the rules say

• Your practice leaflet, and so your website, must say how patients can make a complaint or comment (GP contract, Schedule 3).
• You must make information public about how you handle complaints, and how to find out more (Complaints Regulations 2009, regulation 16).
• A complaint can be made orally, in writing or electronically, and you must acknowledge it within 3 working days (regulation 13). You can’t insist it’s in writing.
• Complaints should normally be made within 12 months of the event, or of the patient finding out about it, but you can accept later ones if there’s a good reason (regulation 12).

The CQC’s GP mythbuster on complaints covers what inspectors expect, and NHS England’s updated You and your general practice tells patients they can speak to the practice manager, contact the ICB, talk to the patient participation group or contact Healthwatch. Your page should match.

A page structure you can copy

Use these headings, in this order, and write each section in your own words.

1. Tell us first. Most problems are sorted quickly by talking to us. Ask to speak to the practice manager.
2. How to make a complaint. Every way you accept one: in person, by phone, by email, by post, or with an online form. Give the email address and postal address in full.
3. What happens next. We'll acknowledge your complaint within 3 working days, agree with you how we'll look into it, and tell you what we found.
4. Complaining on someone's behalf. What you need, such as the patient's consent, and how carers and relatives can complain.
5. If you'd rather not complain to us. That patients can complain to your ICB instead, with its name and contact details, and that they can complain to you or to the ICB, but not both about the same thing.
6. Help making a complaint. Free, independent NHS complaints advocacy from your local council, and your local Healthwatch.
7. If you're not happy with our answer. The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, with a link.

Add a short line on compliments and suggestions too. Patients who want to say thank you look for the same page.

Common mistakes

• “Ask at reception for a form.” Patients should be able to complain without coming in, and without a form.
• Only a PDF. Put the process on the page; offer the form as an extra.
• Out-of-date contact details. Some pages still send patients to NHS England or a clinical commissioning group. Primary care complaints now go to your ICB.
• Saying patients must complain to you first. They can choose you or the ICB.
• Hard to find. Link “Comments and complaints” from every page’s footer.

The final step is the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, which looks at complaints the NHS hasn’t resolved.