We always try to provide the best service possible, but there may be times when you feel this has not happened.

This section endeavours to explain the procedure to follow if you have a complaint about the services we provide, but please note that our practice procedure for complaints is not able to deal with questions of legal liability or compensation. We would ask that you note we do have to respect our duty of confidentiality to our patients, therefore the patient's written consent must be obtained if a complaint is not made by the patient in person.

We hope that you will feel able to use our in-house complaints procedure to give us the opportunity to investigate and, if necessary, put right any mistake or problem you have identified. We will, of course, carry out a full investigation of the matter and will offer you the opportunity to have an informal interview to discuss the complaint, investigations and our findings.

If you do wish to make a complaint please either write to the practice manager, or telephone for an interview to discuss the matter, or you can email either julie.shaw@northstaffs.nhs.uk or tracey.roberts@northstaffs.nhs.uk. The practice manager you have made contact with will take full details of your complaint and decide how best to undertake the investigation. This does not affect your right to complain to the local Primary Care Trust, NHS Stoke on Trent. The necessary contact telephone numbers are:

Practice Manager - 01782 642992 (Hanford) , 01782 663820 (Knutton)
Stoke-on-Trent Primary Care Trust - 01782 298000

It is important that we deal with complaints swiftly, so your complaint will be acknowledged within 48 hours, wherever possible, and you will be offered an appointment for a meeting, if you so wish, to discuss the matter within seven days. If there are numerous enquiries to make it may take up to four weeks to get back to you with the result, but we will keep you informed. We would hope that at the end of any meeting or investigation you will feel satisfied that we have dealt with the complaint thoroughly. However, if that is not the case we will direct you to the appropriate authorities who will be able to help you, this may include the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, information about which can be found at: http://www.ombudsman.org.uk/.

Some people wishing to complain will need help in doing so as well as ongoing support while the complaint is resolved. The Independent Complaints Advocacy Service (ICAS) is a service that people making a complaint can use and may find helpful. Contact details are: http://www.pohwer.net/.

Helpline – 0845 337 3054