Suggestions & Complaints

Your comments and suggestions are important to us, and can be submitted through the completion of a simple form. Please only use this form for comments about the practice and suggestions as to how we can improve our service to you.

Medical matters cannot be dealt with via this form. If you have a query regarding a medical matter please telephone reception to make an appointment to see the appropriate person.

We operate a practice based complaints procedure. If you have a complaint or concern about the service that you have received from the doctors or any of the staff working in this practice, please let us know. Most problems can be sorted out easily and quickly, often at the time they arise and with the person concerned. 

Depending upon the subject that the concern relates to, the management team will often ask other members of the team to lead on the investigation and response eg clinical matters are referred to the clinicians, medication related matters are dealt with by our Dispensary and Hospital referral related matters are dealt with by Reception / Medical Secretaries. All investigations and responses are overseen by the management team however you may not get communication directly from one of them because they are not always best placed or qualified to respond.

For Dispensary - please contact the Dispensary Manager 

For any other day to day related concerns such as appointments etc - please contact the Reception Team Leader

The ‘Responsible Persons’ for our Complaints Procedure Dr Helen Daniel and the Practice Manager.

If you wish to make a formal complaint, it would be helpful if you would let us know as soon as possible – ideally, within a matter of days, as this will enable us to establish what happened more easily. Complaints should be made within 12 months of the date of the occurrence giving rise to the complaint or from the time that the complainant became aware of the matter.

If you wish to submit a complaint you can complete the form below or ask our reception team for further information on how to complain.  

Complaints and the Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

We welcome feedback and complaints, and we want to understand your experience in your own words. We are committed to handling complaints fairly, openly and compassionately, in line with the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s NHS Complaint Standards.

Some people choose to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to help write complaints or emails. We understand that these tools can be helpful in organising thoughts or expressing concerns.

However, AI-generated text can sometimes:

•               include information that is inaccurate or not relevant;

•               use overly formal or legal language;

•               make complaints longer or more complex than necessary; or

•               make it harder for us to clearly understand your personal experience.

This can occasionally delay our review or mean we need to contact you to clarify the details before we can respond fully. The most helpful complaints are usually clear and concise, and explain:

•               what happened;

•               when it happened;

•               how it affected you; and

•               what you would like us to do to resolve the matter.

A short explanation in your own words is often more helpful than a long or highly formal letter. If you choose to use AI tools, we recommend that you:

•               check the wording carefully to ensure it reflects your own experience;

•               remove any information that is inaccurate or not relevant; and

•               take care when including sensitive personal information.

Please be aware that some AI tools may store or use information entered into them.

For further guidance on using AI to support a complaint, you may find this resource from the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman helpful: Using AI tools to help your complaint

If you need support to make a complaint—for example due to language needs, disability, learning disability, or mental health or communication difficulties—please let us know. We will do our best to support you in a way that works for you

Integrated Care Board (ICB)

Kent and Medway ICB are the NHS organisation that plans and buys healthcare services to meet the needs of the 1.8million people living in Kent and Medway.

The does not affect your right to contact the NHS Kent and Medway patient experience team:

• Email: kmicb.patientexperience@nhs.net
• Phone: 01634 335095 Option 7
• Postal address: Patient Experience Team, 2nd Floor, Gail House, Lower Stone Street, Maidstone, Kent, ME15 6NB