Enter and View: Understanding complaints procedures across GP practices in Redbridge
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Healthwatch Redbridge undertook enter and view visits across 46 GP practices in Redbridge during the period 5 May to 18 June 2015. This was in response to calls from the public asking about how to raise complaints with their respective GP practices.
Healthwatch initially undertook a phone survey of the practices to find out about complaints procedures and used that as the basis for the Enter and View visits.
When comparing information received; it was noted that, on average a third of responses differed between the telephone survey and when conducting the visit. All practices confirmed that they had a complaints procedure however the information was presented to patients in a number of different ways.
Four in five practices display their complaints procedure on a notice board or wall in the reception area or waiting room. Only 1 practice provided their complaints information on a poster, within a leaflet and on their website.
Over half of practices said they attempted to deal with patients’ complaints in the first instance by offering the individual an opportunity to resolve the issue by speaking with the Practice Manager.
Although most practices were quite clear on their complaints procedures, a number of practice staff seemed unaware or confused in regards to what their practice would provide. Nearly three in give display complaints information and request that patients ask for a leaflet at reception or speak to the Practice Manager first. Ten practices insisted that patients would have to initially write to the Practice Manager in order to receive a copy of the complaints procedure. The nine practices not displaying information about their complaints procedures expected patients to ask for information at reception.
At the visit, Enter & View Representatives requested a copy of each practice’s complaints leaflet. Just over one in five practices provided a copy of their complaints information or practice leaflet. All 10 leaflets contained some out of date or incorrect information and some appeared inaccessible.
The report contains 8 recommendations.