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 two 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 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, Gavin Boyle, 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

We will aim to provide full resolution of your concerns.  If you have further questions or require additional explanation please contact the Complaints Team and we will assist in providing clarification or arrange for you to speak with the Lead Investigator.

If you are dissatisfied with the response:

• Please write to the Chief Executive detailing your concerns, or contact the Complaints Team for the relevant hospital

Request an independent review of your complaint:

 To request an independent review of your complaint, you can contact the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO  through their website: www.ombudsman.org.uk/make-a-complaint.