At New Hayesbank Surgery, we are committed to providing safe, effective, and respectful care. We welcome feedback from our patients and take complaints seriously, as they help us to improve our services.
If you are unhappy with any aspect of the care or service you have received from our doctors or staff, please let us know. Many concerns can be resolved quickly and informally by talking with the person involved at the time. However, we operate a practice based complaints procedure, so if is not possible to resolve your concern or if you prefer, you may raise a formal complaint.
Who Is Responsible for Complaints?
The Responsible Persons for our complaints procedure are:
Dr. T Stanley, Partner
Lee Mays-Ford, Quality & Compliance Manager
Lee Mays‑ Ford oversees the handling and investigation of complaints on behalf of the practice.
How to Make a Complaint
You can make a complaint verbally, in writing, or by email.
We encourage you to raise your concern as soon as possible so that it can be investigated effectively.
Complaints should normally be made:
- Within 12 months of the event you are complaining about, or
- Within 12 months of becoming aware that there was something to complain about
If there is a good reason for a delay, we may still investigate where it is fair and practical to do so.
Making a Formal Complaint
Please address formal complaints to:
Lee Mays‑ Ford – Quality & Compliance Manager
- Email: kmicb.newhayesbanksurgery@nhs.net
- Post: New Hayesbank Surgery, Bybrook, Kennington, Ashford, Kent, TN24 9JZ
- In person: Main reception
If you prefer, you can request a meeting with Lee Mays‑ Ford or Dr. Stanley to discuss your concerns. They will explain the complaints process and ensure your concerns are managed promptly and sensitively.
To help us investigate fully, please provide as much detail as possible about what happened, including dates, times, and the people involved.
What We Will Do
- Acknowledge your complaint within three working days
- Let you know who is dealing with your complaint and the expected timescale
- Investigate thoroughly and fairly
- Keep you informed if there are any delays#
- Offer a full explanation and apology, where appropriate
- Identify learning points and make improvements to our services
Where appropriate, we can arrange a meeting to discuss your complaint and the outcome.
Who Can Make a Complaint?
A complaint may be made by:
- A patient
- A former patient
- Someone affected by an action, decision, or omission of the practice
A complaint can also be made by a representative on behalf of:
- A child
- A person who is unable, due to physical or mental illness, to make a complaint themselves
- A person who has died
In these cases, we must be satisfied that the representative is acting in the best interests of the individual. If we are unable to accept a representative complaint, we will explain our decision in writing.
Confidentiality and Consent
We strictly follow medical confidentiality and data protection legislation UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018.
If you are complaining on behalf of someone else, we will normally require written consent from the patient unless they are unable to provide it due to illness or incapacity.
If You Are Not Satisfied With Our Response
If you remain unhappy with the outcome of your complaint after it has been fully investigated by the practice, you can ask the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) to review your complaint.
Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
Millbank Tower
Millbank
London SW1P 4QP
- Complaints Helpline: 0345 015 4033 (Monday to Friday, 8.30am–5.30pm)
- Fax: 0300 061 4000
- Email: phso.enquiries@ombudsman.org.uk
You will be asked to explain why you remain dissatisfied with the practice’s response.
Our Commitment to You
- Complaints, concerns and suggestions are routinely raised at practice meetings so that learning and improvements can take place
- Complaints records are kept separately from medical records
- Patients are never treated unfairly or discriminated against for raising a concern
We genuinely welcome your feedback and will always aim to put things right wherever possible.
Additional Support
You can also contact the NHS Kent and Medway Patient Experience Team for advice or support:
Patient Experience Team
2nd Floor, Gail House
Lower Stone Street
Maidstone
Kent ME15 6NB
- Telephone: 01634 335095 (Option 7)
- Email: kmicb.patientexperience@nhs.net
Please remember, we are here to help you