Complaints in primary care: A snapshot of how complaints procedures work in GP practices across Sefton

Healthwatch Sefton undertook a review of how the complaints process works in primary care. They undertook a survey of GP practices to which 18 practices responded.

The number of complaints made per practice varies, some having less than 5 complaints to some having more than 20 annually. The number of complaints not upheld outweigh those which were. One practice did not think it was possible to define upheld as many of the complaints they received related to not being able to get an appointment/ telephone system.

It was also unclear how complaints were defined.  The majority of practices return their complaints data annually to HSCIC, some informed us that they didn’t.

There were three recommendations.