unhappy patient representing raising complaints

Complaints procedure

The doctors and staff at this practice are committed to providing high quality healthcare and services to patients.

If you have a suggestion, complaint or concern about the service you have received from the practice, please let us know. Any suggestions can be written down and handed to a member of staff or sent to the practice.

We operate a complaints procedure as part of the NHS system for dealing with complaints. The practice complaints procedure meets national criteria.

How to complain

It is best to tell a member of staff about any concerns or problems as soon as they arise and we will try and sort them out.

If you wish to make a complaint, please let us have details of your complaint as soon as possible so we can find out what happened. You can download and complete a complaints form, and send it into the practice. It helps us if you can give us as much detail as possible.

If you need any help making a complaint our staff will explain the complaints procedure to you and make sure that your concerns are dealt with promptly.

If you have a complaint and wish to discuss your concerns, you can also call us and ask to speak to a member of our management team.

You need to make your complaint within 12 months of the incident that caused the problem OR within 12 months of discovering that you have a problem relating to a specific incident.

Drop your complaint in writing in person to the surgery marked 'FAO the Practice Manager' or send it by post to:

Practice Manager
Connswater Family Practice
Westminster Avenue North
Belfast
BT4 1NS

Complaining on behalf of someone else

Medical records are protected by the Data Protection Act 2018. If you are complaining on behalf of someone else we need to know that you have their permission to do so. A note signed by the person concerned will be needed unless they are incapable (e.g. due to illness) of providing this. 

What we will do

We will contact you about your complaint within three working days and offer to discuss with you the best way to investigate it, including the time scales for a reply. We will aim to:

  • Find out what happened and what went wrong.
  • Invite you to discuss the problem with those involved, if you would like this
  • Apologise where this is appropriate.
  • Identify what we can do to make sure that the problem does not happen again.

If you feel that the practice was unable to resolve your issues then you can get in contact with Patient Client counsel, contact details below.

Patient Client Counsel

Our normal office opening hours are Monday to Friday 9am – 5pm. From 3rd October 2022, the PCC freephone helpline will operate from 9am – 4pm.

If you are looking to contact a specific member of staff, please consult our Staff Directory.

For the locations and information on our regional offices, visit our Office Locations page.

Tel: 0800 917 0222
Email: info@pcc-ni.net
Post: Freepost, Patient and Client Council