Introduction

Montpellier Medical is committed to providing high-quality healthcare services to all our patients. We value feedback from our patients and use it to improve our services. This policy outlines the procedure for making a complaint and how we handle complaints to ensure they are resolved promptly and fairly.

If you wish to have a copy of our full complaints policy then please contact us via email to request this.

How to Make a Complaint

If you have a complaint about any aspect of our service, please let us know as soon as possible. You can make a complaint in the following ways:

• In person: Speak to a member of staff at our clinic.
• In writing: Send a letter to Montpellier Medical, Offices 1&2 Calderwood House, 1st Floor, 7 Montpellier Parade, Cheltenham, GL50 1UA.
• By email: Send an email to admin@montpelliermedical.co.uk
• By responding to our email request for feedback after your appointment.

If you make a complaint verbally, then we will write a summary of that complaint and send the written record to you for your approval before proceeding with the complaints procedure laid out below.

If you are seeking to make a complaint on behalf of someone else, then please ensure you have their written consent to do so.

Complaints are usually made:

• within 12 months of the event / incident that you wish to complaint about or
• within 12 months of the event / incident coming to your attention.

What Happens Next

1. Acknowledgment: We will acknowledge your complaint within 3 working days of receiving it. This acknowledgement will be in writing and will include the name and contact details of the person leading the investigation and an offer to meet with you to discuss your complaint in more detail. This meeting will be at a time convenient to you with the expressed aims of clarifying the reason(s) for the complaint and what you would like to happen as a result. If the complaint can be resolved at this stage, then we will strive for this outcome. If not, we will formulate and agree a plan going forwards and be clear about when you can expect to hear from us again with an update.
2. Investigation: We will investigate your complaint thoroughly and impartially. This may involve speaking to staff members and reviewing relevant records.
3. Response: We aim to provide a full response within 6 months. If the investigation takes longer, we will keep you informed of the progress and the expected completion date.
4. Resolution: We will explain the outcome of the investigation and any actions we have taken or plan to take to address the issue.

Confidentiality

All complaints will be handled in strict confidence. Information about your complaint will only be shared with those involved in the investigation and resolution process.

We maintain records of all complaints, and these are kept separate from patients’ clinical notes. Patients who make a complaint will not be subject to any discrimination nor will the quality of their care be compromised.
Where a complaint investigation requires information to be shared outside Montpellier Medical, we will inform the complainant prior to this information being shared.

If other agencies are involved in a complaint, we will agree which agency will take the lead on investigating the complaint and inform you of this decision.

Your Rights

You have the right to:

• Be treated with respect and without discrimination.
• Receive a timely and thorough investigation of your complaint.
• Be informed of the outcome and any actions taken.
• Escalate your complaint if you are not satisfied with the response.

Escalating Your Complaint

After the investigation is complete, we will produce a written report detailing the outcome and any changes made as a result. Should you remain dissatisfied with our response we will provide guidance on how to escalate your complaint further including providing full contact information for the General Medical Council and the Care Quality Commission.

Monitoring and Review

We undertake an annual review of complaints and other feedback to identify trends and areas for improvement. This helps us to enhance the quality of our services and prevent similar issues from occurring in the future.

The Practice will adhere to the Care Quality Commission’s requirement of producing a summary of complaints at a time and in a format set out by the CQC and then send the summary within the timeframe specified.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about this procedure or need assistance with making a complaint, please contact us at admin@montpelliermedical.co.uk. If you would like a copy of our full complaints policy please let us know.