Concerns, suggestions and complaints

Who handles complaints

All of our staff and pharmacists are prepared to receive complaints and comments and to help with investigating them. Mr Mustafa Ameer is our designated Complaints Manager and has overall responsibility for making sure complaints are handled properly. When he is not in the pharmacy, the responsible pharmacist on duty will contact him and pass on all the information about the complaint.

How to raise a suggestion or complaint

You can speak to any member of the team in store, call us on 029 2037 3631, or email [email protected]. Information on how to raise a complaint is also in our practice leaflet and on the Putting Things Right poster displayed in the pharmacy.

If you would like to share suggestions or tell us what is going well, use our feedback page.

Complaints made by someone else

A complaint may be made by a patient or by any person affected by, or likely to be affected by, an action, omission or decision of the pharmacy. A representative can complain where that person has died, is a child, is unable to complain themselves by reason of physical or mental incapacity, or has asked the representative to act on their behalf.

Before discussing a patient's treatment with a third party we must be sure that person is authorised to speak for the patient, so that we do not breach confidentiality. We will normally ask for evidence of the patient's consent, unless the patient cannot give consent.

Where a complaint is made on behalf of a child, or on behalf of someone who lacks mental capacity, the complaints manager must be satisfied that the representative is acting in that person's best interests. If not, the representative will be told in writing, with the reasons why the complaint will not be considered through them.

Immediate health needs and confidentiality

In all cases we will first make sure the patient's immediate health needs are being met, taking urgent action if necessary, before dealing with any matters relating to the complaint.

Complainants are treated with appropriate confidentiality. We will only discuss confidential information to the extent necessary to answer the complaint, and only those within the pharmacy who need to know will learn of it.

Timescales

The complaints manager will normally discuss with you how your complaint will be handled and the response period. We aim to respond within 30 working days of receiving the complaint, and where that is not possible we will keep you informed of timescales.

When a complaint is received, either verbally or in writing, the complaints manager will send an acknowledgement within two working days after the day it was received. You will be asked whether you wish to discuss how the complaint is handled and the response period.

Verbal complaints

Our staff will listen to your concerns and, if they are able, resolve them immediately. We encourage you to speak openly and freely. If a verbal complaint is resolved to your satisfaction no later than the working day after we received it, the formal written procedure will not be used. If you would like the complaint dealt with formally, please put it in writing and hand it in or post it to the pharmacy.

Letters and emails of complaint are passed to the complaints manager. Where the complainant is not the patient, the complaints manager will consider whether the patient's consent is needed before investigating.

Investigating and resolving your complaint

The complaints manager oversees the investigation and makes all necessary inquiries, including interviews with the complainant, pharmacists and members of staff, keeping notes throughout. If we invite you in to discuss the complaint, you are welcome to bring a relative, friend or someone from the Independent Complaints Advocacy Service (ICAS).

At the end of the investigation the pharmacy owner will write to you with a report that includes:

• an explanation of how the complaint has been considered;
• the conclusions reached, including any matters where remedial action is needed;
• confirmation of whether any action needed as a result has been taken or is proposed; and
• details of your right to take the complaint to the Health Service Ombudsman.

We keep a file of remarks made, forms, investigation notes, letters and action taken. Some of this may be kept electronically.

Time limits

We will investigate complaints made within 12 months of the date the matter happened, or within 12 months of the date it came to your notice. If a complaint is received out of time, the complaints manager will decide whether a thorough investigation is still possible. If it will not be investigated because it is out of time, we will write to you explaining why.

Complaints involving another NHS body

Where a complaint concerns both us and another NHS body, we will seek to investigate and resolve it together with them, with your permission to liaise. If the complaint is solely about another body, we will ask your permission to pass it on to them.

Complaints and discipline

The complaints procedure is about giving explanations and making improvements. If a complaint means a member of staff must be disciplined, the disciplinary procedure is used separately.

Monitoring and annual reporting

Mr M. Ameer and Mrs Ameer are responsible for making sure we make constructive use of feedback from complaints. We keep a log of complaints and use feedback from comments and complaints to improve our services.

Each year, in line with our NHS contract, we prepare an annual report for the year ending 31 March. It sets out the number of complaints received, how many we decided were well-founded, how many we have been told were referred to the Health Service Commissioner, and a summary of the subject matter, any matters of general importance and any action taken to improve services. The annual report is available to any person on request.

Our aim

We encourage feedback on our services from all of our patients and customers so we can continually improve. Complaints are an opportunity to improve what we offer, and they are dealt with in a non-confrontational manner that maintains confidentiality for everyone involved.

You may also want to read our Putting Things Right page, which explains the NHS Wales arrangements for raising a concern.