Patient feedback: Your experience of our service

Comments, suggestions and complaints

We aim to continually provide a high quality service that delivers excellent care to our patients. Although we are proud of the service we provide, we recognise that problems do sometimes arise. Your feedback – whether positive or negative – will therefore help us to make changes to improve the care our patients receive. We have a dedicated Quality Manager who is responsible for handling comments, suggestions as well as resolving complaints about our service.

We would welcome hearing when you have had a particularly good experience with our service. If you feel that we have gone over and above your expectations, please contact our Quality Manager who will ensure that your comments are fed back to the relevant staff members or Doctors involved in your care.

If you are unhappy with the care either you or a relative has received and therefore wish to make a formal complaint, the following process will apply:

All complaints – verbal or written – will be recorded and acknowledged in writing within two working days.

We aspire to respond with an evaluation of the situation within 25 working days after a thorough investigation has taken place. This will highlight what happened, why it happened and what actions will be implemented to prevent a reoccurrence. If we are unable to respond to you within 25 working days we will keep you informed about the progress we are making with the investigation into your complaint. If the outcome of the evaluation is not to your satisfaction, we will invite you to a meeting to discuss the issue further, as well as advise you on how to take further action if you feel this is necessary.

If you would welcome some independent help to make your complaint there are local organisations set up to help you to do that. You are entitled under the NHS Constitution to have the help you need. You may contact the following:

seAp Advocacy

Bristol on 0300 343 35704 or by visiting their website here https://www.seap.org.uk/local-authority/bristol.html

South Gloucestershire on 0300 343 5725 or by visiting their website here https://www.seap.org.uk/local-authority/south-gloucestershire.html

North Somerset om 0300 343 5717 or by visiting their website here https://www.seap.org.uk/local-authority/north-somerset.html

seAp services are funded by your local Healthwatch for people who want to make a complaint about an NHS health service and their support is free to you. To find out more about your local Healthwatch visit their website here https://www.healthwatch.co.uk/your-local-healthwatch/

If, having received a full investigation into your complaint and a comprehensive response from us, you remain unhappy with the way we have managed your complaint you may approach the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO). The PHSO makes final decisions on complaints that have not been resolved by the NHS. The PHSO helpline is 0345 015 4033 and is available Monday-Friday between 8.30am and 5.30pm.

Contact details:

severnside.governance@nhs.net

0117 937 0900 and ask for the Governance Team

Patient Feedback, BrisDoc Healthcare Services, Unit 21 Osprey Court, Hawkfield Business Park, Whitchurch, Bristol, BS14 0BB