Complaints and Patient Feedback

Complaints procedure

OSD Healthcare is committed to providing a high quality independent healthcare service to all our patients. We are extremely proud of the service that we offer and are disappointed if your experience has not met expectations. We do recognise that sometimes things may go wrong and if this is the case we want to know about it as quickly as possible, preferably while you are still at the clinic, so we can try to resolve your concerns before you leave.

We take complaints very seriously and are members of ISCAS, the Independent Healthcare Sector Complaints Adjudication Service. We abide by their Complaints Code of Conduct.

We would like to assure you that OSD Healthcare will deal with all complaints respectfully and confidentially. Patients and their relatives will never be discriminated against or have their care compromised as a result of raising a complaint. By listening to our patients and regularly reviewing complaints data, we will consider making changes to improve and enhance the quality of the services we offer.

What is a complaint?

A complaint usually relates to dissatisfaction about a commissioned or directly provided service.

A complaint can be submitted about any of the following:

An action or omission which is against the choices and wishes of a patient,
The way in which care, treatment or service has been provided, or withheld, from a patient
Discrimination against a patient
The lack of access to or provision of a particular service
Attitude or behaviour of staff; or
The financial element of a particular treatment, intervention, or equipment

This list is not exhaustive; it is an indication of the nature of potential complaints.

Concerns and complaints may be made by a patient, their representative, or any persons who are affected by or likely to be affected by the action, omission or decision of OSDH.

A complaint may be made by a person acting on behalf of a patient in any case where that person:

Is a child (an individual who has not attained the age of 18);
Has died;
Has physical or mental incapacity;
Has given consent to a third party acting on their behalf;
Has delegated authority to act on their behalf, for example in the form of a registered Power of Attorney which must cover health affairs;
Is an MP, acting on behalf of and by instruction from a constituent.

Where do I complain?

If you feel you wish to discuss any aspect of your care, raise a concern, or make a complaint, we would kindly ask that you bring this to the attention of a member of staff as soon as possible, who will be happy to assist you with the process.

Staff will make every effort to resolve your complaint as quickly as possible. If your concerns are not resolved to your satisfaction, you will be advised how to make a formal written complaint and be given a copy of this procedure.

Please send your written complaint to the Associate Director of Clinical Services, Shieryl Jonatas at the address below, or email patientfeedback@dev1.osdhealthcare.co.uk.

OSD Healthcare
One Medical House
Boundary Way,
Hemel Hempstead,
Hertfordshire,
HP2 7YU

In your complaint, please describe as fully as you can the nature of your complaint.

If you prefer to call us and let us know of your concern or complaint please contact the OSD Healthcare Enquiries Team via telephone. They will make a comprehensive note of the issues you would like to raise and they will forward this to the Patient Feedback Team.

What is the complaints process?

The complaints process has 3 stages.

Stage 1 Local Resolution
Stage 2 Complaint Review
Stage 3 Independent External Adjudication

Every effort will be made to ensure our investigations are thorough yet proportionate with a commitment to try to resolve your concerns at Stage 1.

Stage 1 – Local resolution

Your complaint will be acknowledged in writing within three (3) working days (excluding weekends and bank holidays) of receiving the complaint, unless a full reply can be sent to you within five (5) working days.

Where a complaint has been made on behalf of another person and consent is required, we will write to the complainant to seek their consent and supporting documents, where relevant. You have the right to seek independent or legal advice regarding your complaint where any aspect of your complaint might give rise to a clinical negligence claim. The intention to seek legal advice does not stop the complaints process. In cases where a legal claim is made then those aspects of the complaint that are central to the legal claim (i.e. clinical negligence and issues of causality), cannot be responded to in this process however any other elements of the complaint can still be investigated via this procedure.

The process we will follow after an acknowledgement is sent is:

An investigation lead will be allocated to review and manage the complaint, they will contact the complainant to:

Agree on who will receive the response
Discuss with the complainant the preferred way to receive their response
Establish if there are any special requirements that need to be considered as part of the investigation
Agree with the complainant what the issues are that to be investigated
Importantly the complainant will be provided with the name of the Investigation Lead and contact details should they wish to contact the investigator at any stage of the investigation.

If the Investigation lead is unable to contact with the complainant has been unsuccessful and every reasonable attempt has been made on more than one occasion or, they have indicated that they do not wish to be contact by telephone, the Investigation Lead will email or write to the complainant to outline:

Their name, role and contact details should they wish to get in touch at any point during the investigation
Their understanding of the issues of the complaint
How the issues will be investigated
Who they will liaise with during the investigation

The aim of our investigation will be to:

Apologise where we have got something wrong
We will put the complainant at the centre of our investigation
We will be open and accountable giving you a clear and honest explanation of our findings
Our investigation will be proportionate to the seriousness of the complaint
We will seek to put things right
We will always seek to identify lessons learnt and recommendations to support quality improvement.

Upon completion of the investigation, you will receive a full written response within twenty (20) working days (excluding weekends and bank holidays) of the complaint being received.

If a full response cannot be given within the above time frame, OSD Healthcare will write to you to explain the reason for the delay. You will receive a full written response within five (5) days of a conclusion being reached. Regular reviews of complaints are conducted to ensure that we learn from issues raised and to inform continuous improvement, adapting our processes and services in line with our patients’ expectations.

If you are not satisfied with the response, within 6 months you can request a complaint review.

Stage 2 – Complaint review

If you request a complaint review, a Director of OSD Healthcare will review your complaint, the investigation documentation and may interview staff involved to form an independent view on the handling of the complaint.

Your request for a complaint review will be acknowledged in writing within three (3) working days (excluding weekends and bank holidays) of receiving the request, unless a full reply can be sent to you within five (5) working days.

You will be offered the option of a confidential meeting and informed of the name of the Director who will be conducting the complaint review. Upon completion of the complaint review you will receive a full written response within twenty (20) working days (excluding weekends and bank holidays) of the request being received.

If you are not satisfied with the response, within 6 months you can request Independent External Adjudication.

Stage 3 – Independent external adjudication

If you remain dissatisfied with the outcome of the review by a Director of OSD Healthcare, you have the right to request an independent external adjudication of the complaint. This can be done by contacting one of the following within 25 working days of receiving the Directors final letter.

For private patients:

Independent Healthcare Sector Adjudication Service
70, Fleet Street
London
EC4Y 1EU

Tel: 020 7536 6091
Email: info@iscas.org.uk
www.iscas.org.uk

Independent Adjudicators are independently appointed from outside the ISCAS and its membership. We would recommend that you ensure you are aware of the principles relating to the independent external adjudication procedure which are detailed in the ISCAS ‘A guide for patients’.

For NHS patients:

Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
Millbank Tower, 30,
Millbank,
London
SW1P 4QP
Tel: 0345 015 4033

Website: https://www.ombudsman.org.uk/

Useful contacts

If you require assistance with writing your complaint, there is information to support you on the ISCAS website www.iscas.org.uk or we would be happy to give you a copy of their ‘A guide for patients’. Other organisations who are able to help you with writing a complaint are-

The Patients Association
PO Box 935
Harrow
Middlesex
HA1 3YJ
Helpline Tel: 0845 608 4455
Helpline Email: helpline@patients-association.com

Citizen’s Advice Bureau (CAB)
Dacre House
19 Hillfield Road
Hemel Hempstead
Hertfordshire
HP2

Tel: 03444 111 444

You also have a right to notify your concerns to the Care Quality Commission (CQC) the organisation that regulates OSD Healthcare as an independent healthcare provider, however please be aware that they will not investigate an individual complaint but may use the information to inform their inspection regime. Their contact details are:-

Care Quality Commission (CQC)
Citygate
Gallowgate
Newcatle upon Tyne
NE1 4PA
Tel: 03000 616161

Website: http://www.cqc.org.uk

Click here to view our Raising a Concern or Complaint Leaflet.