How we investigate your complaint

On receipt of your complaint, we undertake initial checks to ensure:

• We have the patient’s full details to enable us to identify the correct medical records
• The complaint is made within twelve months of the event

If we have a telephone number for you, we will attempt to contact you to discuss your concerns and the complaints process.

• We will acknowledge receipt of your complaint within three working days
• If required, we will request consent to disclose confidential information
• We will identify a Lead Investigator who will look into the issues raised
• We will discuss and agree with you how to respond to your complaint (in writing or by arranging a meeting)
• We will agree a timescale in which we will aim to respond to you

During the complaint investigation:

• A thorough investigation is carried out by the appointed Lead Investigator
• If any further information is required, the Lead Investigator will contact you directly to discuss this
• If we are delayed in our response, we will contact you to provide an update

Investigation outcomes

Having completed our investigation we will provide you with a response either in writing or during a recorded complaint meeting. The Trust response will be accompanied by a covering letter signed by our Chief Executive, or a member of the Executive Team.

We aim to;

• Carry out an investigation and offer an explanation for what happened
• Offer an apology
• Learn from your complaint and take steps to put matters right

The complaints process does not cover the following:

• Claims for negligence
• Disciplinary issues

• The Trust will take your complaint seriously
• Your complaint is not kept in your medical notes and will not affect your future care
• We value your opinion and are committed to learning from the feedback we receive