In the first instance you should actually complain by writing to the surgery - or specifically, the manager of the surgery.
If they don't give a satisfactory response you can get in touch with your local PALS (patient advice and liaison service) which is operated by your local NHS trust.
I've made complaints before to PALS but the problem is with a situation like yours there isn't going to be much they can realistically do other than register your complaint and apologise.
In the first instance you should actually complain by writing to the surgery - or specifically, the manager of the surgery.
If they don't give a satisfactory response you can get in touch with your local PALS (patient advice and liaison service) which is operated by your local NHS trust.
Whenever you complain against any organisation the first stage is always to complain to them first.
I didn't complain but once had to go back to the GP after a pretty rubbish locum gave me me the wrong prescription which was picked up by my pharmacy (who know me well as I take all my prescriptions to them). I was in reception explaining the issue to the receptionist who clearly was out of her depth when the senior partner happened to walk past and told the receptionist to put me in for an appointment with her (she happened to be the expert on the issue I had seen he original GP about) so she solved it without me needing to do anything else.
If you don't like the senior partner and can't just see another GP who you like, you might be better off deregistering and going elsewhere (unless they're doing something that is serious of course and you need to take action to protect other patients).
I think If I do go to complain, I will talk to the receptionists first about it and go to the one doctor I actually like in the whole surgery. Just need to vent about how they acted with my younger sister...they had three occasions to spot what was wrong but kept fobbing us off. She ended up having surgery so I'm very annoyed at that.
You'd be better off putting that in writing. A receptionist or more junior doctor isn't going to speak against the senior partner. Just put it in writing and go through the formal complaint process if you think it's important - it sounds like it is as it could happen to other people. Make sure your sister wants this action taken though (assuming she has capacity and is old enough to have an opinion).
Yes I can see how putting it in writing is the more sensible action.
My sister is 9 years old. I will need to speak to my parents first to see if they want to me go ahead with the complaint.
Yes I can see how putting it in writing is the more sensible action.
My sister is 9 years old. I will need to speak to my parents first to see if they want to me go ahead with the complaint.
I think it would have to be your parents who complained, as the doctor could not talk to you about your sisters case, as your parents are your sisters guardians
Okay I'm not sure where things stand with a 9 year old and capacity. Yes sounds better if you check with your parents.
I tend to think that it's important to log things like this - it doesn't need to be an aggressive complaint but something that is formal just to have an acknowledgement of what took place. It might help the next child to have a better experience.
Of course if it was negligence that resulted in damage that's different - I've helped a relative who unfortunately had to sue the NHS. It's not pleasant and a few years in we were regretting ever having started it but in they end they made a settlement on the eve of the court hearing. It doesn't remedy the problem but it's an acknowledgement that they did something wrong which is important when the outcome is serious.
Sometimes I think earlier stage complaints might catch more things before they become life changing.
I don't think i want to sue the NHS...I just want to know why the doctors didn't listen to my mum on that very first appointment about 6 weeks ago. If she did,perhaps my sister wouldn't have had to have surgery and it could have been resolved earlier. I've written everything that has happened down just in case I do want to complain.
Oh I wasn't suggesting you should sue the NHS - that's only for cases where irretrivable damage has been caused that is going to cost the person more for the rest of their life. I meant that sometimes complaints at an earlier stage might bring about a change of approach that stops something happening to the next person that is life changing.
Of course, doctors are only people and some aspects of medicine are guess work (both my parents died from rare things and you soon realise that it's all trial and error at that stage - educated trial and error but trial and error nonetheless).
If you don't ask the questions you won't find out what happened and it'll hang over you. It might be that you ask and they can explain what happened. Don't expect an apology though - they don't really do that as the lawyers tell them not to in case it indicates liability.
Oh yes I know you weren't. I understand what you mean.
I'm sorry to hear about your parents and I admire how you explain it so elegantly.
I may just go and ask them actually...and give them a chance to explain.
Mine does, and they'd be the person to go to with complaints. Seeing as it's your sister though, it may have to be your parents, rather than yourself.
I'm not sure about the practice manager. I don't think my mum wants to go through with it to be honest. She doesn't think anything will come out of it.
I'm not sure about the practice manager. I don't think my mum wants to go through with it to be honest. She doesn't think anything will come out of it.
Well if your parents don't want to persue it, there's not a lot you can do,
If it's any help, I know how you feel.
A rather arrogant consultant screwed up my sister's care when she was in labour, which lead to complications.
I created merry hell at the hospital, but had to stop when my sister asked me to.
Be very weary.
after many years of being through the system when they all got my diagnosis so wrong
the things I found out.
1, Make a complaint against one and it follows you always
2. PALS can be so hit and miss it depends greatly who's given the case.
3. It will affect how you are treated if you remain at that surgery or move on
They say it doesn't happen anymore but it still happens now they close ranks and even when they know a mistake has been made instead of just accepting the Quality of Care wasn't given they turn everything back to the patient.
We have just gone through the same process with mum she's had 5 surgeries in 3 years
and will need more. And its utterly depressing to see the same flaws in the system still remain after 15 years.
I know it just angers me so much that it could have been solved earlier and she woukdnt have had to go through all the pain and the surgery
Yep, I know how that is, the consultant denied my sister's condition existed, so refused a caesarean even though the midwife wrote my sister's birthplan with her, and then proceeded to use a forceps delivery after realising he left the baby too long and it was dying.
The delivery method caused my sister's condition to worsen, which meant a two week stay in the hospital without her baby
I was fuming, but ultimately, it was down to my sister, and she just wanted to forget the whole sorry mess.
Unsurprisingly, that maternity unit shut down shortly after.
It might not be much help, but that anger will pass. Don't make the mistake I did, spend time with your sister instead.
I spent more time getting angry with the hospital than I did visiting my sister. Thinking back on it, I feel a bit stupid.
Be very weary.
after many years of being through the system when they all got my diagnosis so wrong
the things I found out.
1, Make a complaint against one and it follows you always
2. PALS can be so hit and miss it depends greatly who's given the case.
3. It will affect how you are treated if you remain at that surgery or move on
They say it doesn't happen anymore but it still happens now they close ranks and even when they know a mistake has been made instead of just accepting the Quality of Care wasn't given they turn everything back to the patient.
We have just gone through the same process with mum she's had 5 surgeries in 3 years
and will need more. And its utterly depressing to see the same flaws in the system still remain after 15 years.
Number one scares me the most... What if I will need to go to the doctors for whatever reason? I would feel awkward and uncomfortable.
Sorry to hear about your mum. You'd have taught after 15 years there would have been some changes.
Yep, I know how that is, the consultant denied my sister's condition existed, so refused a caesarean even though the midwife wrote my sister's birthplan with her, and then proceeded to use a forceps delivery after realising he left the baby too long and it was dying.
The delivery method caused my sister's condition to worsen, which meant a two week stay in the hospital without her baby
I was fuming, but ultimately, it was down to my sister, and she just wanted to forget the whole sorry mess.
Unsurprisingly, that maternity unit shut down shortly after.
It might not be much help, but that anger will pass. Don't make the mistake I did, spend time with your sister instead.
I spent more time getting angry with the hospital than I did visiting my sister. Thinking back on it, I feel a bit stupid.
Thank you for this. I really do appreciate it. I hope your sister had a safe delivery and her and baby were well.
For now, I'm going to leave it. Just see how my sister recovers and take it from there
I have complained several times, to PALS and to the individuals themselves, and the surgery practice managers, and to my councillor and MP, as well as pharma companies, and would do so again, if the level of care I (or my family) receive isn't up to the standard I would expect.
It's true that your history follows you around but so what. I'd rather they were aware that I won't stand for bad care, than they know they can get away with whatever they want, and I'll keep quiet.
In 2008 this website 'I want great care' was set up: https://www.iwantgreatcare.org/. It's lofty aim being for all Dentists, GPs, Hospitals, and healthcare pros, both NHS and Private to register, so as to allow patients to comment, and for named healthcare pros to respond, but it's been an outstanding failure, as most of the pros didn't bother to register, and neither did GPs or hospital doctors or anyone really.
If I put my town and GP group practice in, it finds the practice, but only 1 GP and no patient reviews at all. When you think there are 13 GPs and 9,000 registered patients, you get an idea of how little it has been promoted voluntarily by NHS frontline services. If you've got a complaint to make, they don't want to know and they don't want anyone else to know either.
Left it too late to edit my post above, but you should be aware that the NHS has a poor history of safeguarding patients and keeping them from harm. There was an independent report published in 2011 about levels of harm in the NHS, that found at least 1 patient in 5 was harmed as a result of poor care.
I'm not sure about the practice manager. I don't think my mum wants to go through with it to be honest. She doesn't think anything will come out of it.
It's your mum's call, she's your sister's guardian and you aren't. Even if you did write a letter of complaint yourself, you'd simply get a response saying they can't talk to you about your sister's case on the grounds of confidentiality (unless you enclose another letter signed by your mum saying she gives her permission for them to respond to you directly).
For good medical care you need to go to Germany. English GPs are terrible
Well unless you're not fully fluent in German, then they talk to you like you're stupid.
Not all English GPs are terrible, in fact over the years I've been lucky to have some very good ones. As a child we had a family doctor called Dr Barnes who was fantastic, sadly he's passed on now.
My G.P these days is very good. He's really understanding and honestly, I'd be dead without him. He stopped me from committing suicide.
People don't generally make complaints in the UK with the NHS - they just accept it as a sort of "best effort" service.
My mothers cancer was treated as an infection for a few years (I remember her mentioning it from time to time) but no complaint was ever made. People in my local area do change GP though - all the time if the local forum is representative.
Comments
If they don't give a satisfactory response you can get in touch with your local PALS (patient advice and liaison service) which is operated by your local NHS trust.
Find your local PALS with this: http://www.nhs.uk/Service-Search/Patient%20advice%20and%20liaison%20services%20(PALS)/LocationSearch/363
I've made complaints before to PALS but the problem is with a situation like yours there isn't going to be much they can realistically do other than register your complaint and apologise.
I'm a bit worried about complaining straight to the surgery...the main doctor is very intimidating!
Thank you for the link I will definitely check it out.
I think If I do go to complain, I will talk to the receptionists first about it and go to the one doctor I actually like in the whole surgery. Just need to vent about how they acted with my younger sister...they had three occasions to spot what was wrong but kept fobbing us off. She ended up having surgery so I'm very annoyed at that.
Yes I can see how putting it in writing is the more sensible action.
My sister is 9 years old. I will need to speak to my parents first to see if they want to me go ahead with the complaint.
I think it would have to be your parents who complained, as the doctor could not talk to you about your sisters case, as your parents are your sisters guardians
I don't think i want to sue the NHS...I just want to know why the doctors didn't listen to my mum on that very first appointment about 6 weeks ago. If she did,perhaps my sister wouldn't have had to have surgery and it could have been resolved earlier. I've written everything that has happened down just in case I do want to complain.
Oh yes I know you weren't. I understand what you mean.
I'm sorry to hear about your parents and I admire how you explain it so elegantly.
I may just go and ask them actually...and give them a chance to explain.
Mine does, and they'd be the person to go to with complaints. Seeing as it's your sister though, it may have to be your parents, rather than yourself.
I'm not sure about the practice manager. I don't think my mum wants to go through with it to be honest. She doesn't think anything will come out of it.
Well if your parents don't want to persue it, there's not a lot you can do,
If it's any help, I know how you feel.
A rather arrogant consultant screwed up my sister's care when she was in labour, which lead to complications.
I created merry hell at the hospital, but had to stop when my sister asked me to.
I know it just angers me so much that it could have been solved earlier and she woukdnt have had to go through all the pain and the surgery
after many years of being through the system when they all got my diagnosis so wrong
the things I found out.
1, Make a complaint against one and it follows you always
2. PALS can be so hit and miss it depends greatly who's given the case.
3. It will affect how you are treated if you remain at that surgery or move on
They say it doesn't happen anymore but it still happens now they close ranks and even when they know a mistake has been made instead of just accepting the Quality of Care wasn't given they turn everything back to the patient.
We have just gone through the same process with mum she's had 5 surgeries in 3 years
and will need more. And its utterly depressing to see the same flaws in the system still remain after 15 years.
Yep, I know how that is, the consultant denied my sister's condition existed, so refused a caesarean even though the midwife wrote my sister's birthplan with her, and then proceeded to use a forceps delivery after realising he left the baby too long and it was dying.
The delivery method caused my sister's condition to worsen, which meant a two week stay in the hospital without her baby
I was fuming, but ultimately, it was down to my sister, and she just wanted to forget the whole sorry mess.
Unsurprisingly, that maternity unit shut down shortly after.
It might not be much help, but that anger will pass. Don't make the mistake I did, spend time with your sister instead.
I spent more time getting angry with the hospital than I did visiting my sister. Thinking back on it, I feel a bit stupid.
Number one scares me the most... What if I will need to go to the doctors for whatever reason? I would feel awkward and uncomfortable.
Sorry to hear about your mum. You'd have taught after 15 years there would have been some changes.
Thank you for this. I really do appreciate it. I hope your sister had a safe delivery and her and baby were well.
For now, I'm going to leave it. Just see how my sister recovers and take it from there
Yeah, I'm sure your sister will appreciate it:). Hope her recovery goes well.
My sister is finally okay, and this year managed to return to work, the baby is now 4 years old, and she's doing great, thanks for asking!
I have complained several times, to PALS and to the individuals themselves, and the surgery practice managers, and to my councillor and MP, as well as pharma companies, and would do so again, if the level of care I (or my family) receive isn't up to the standard I would expect.
It's true that your history follows you around but so what. I'd rather they were aware that I won't stand for bad care, than they know they can get away with whatever they want, and I'll keep quiet.
In 2008 this website 'I want great care' was set up: https://www.iwantgreatcare.org/. It's lofty aim being for all Dentists, GPs, Hospitals, and healthcare pros, both NHS and Private to register, so as to allow patients to comment, and for named healthcare pros to respond, but it's been an outstanding failure, as most of the pros didn't bother to register, and neither did GPs or hospital doctors or anyone really.
If I put my town and GP group practice in, it finds the practice, but only 1 GP and no patient reviews at all. When you think there are 13 GPs and 9,000 registered patients, you get an idea of how little it has been promoted voluntarily by NHS frontline services. If you've got a complaint to make, they don't want to know and they don't want anyone else to know either.
This PDF report published in March 2015, investigating clinical incidences, from the House of Commons Public Administration Select Committee, has a damning conclusion: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmselect/cmpubadm/886/886.pdf
This is why I think it is important to complain.
It's your mum's call, she's your sister's guardian and you aren't. Even if you did write a letter of complaint yourself, you'd simply get a response saying they can't talk to you about your sister's case on the grounds of confidentiality (unless you enclose another letter signed by your mum saying she gives her permission for them to respond to you directly).
Well unless you're not fully fluent in German, then they talk to you like you're stupid.
Not all English GPs are terrible, in fact over the years I've been lucky to have some very good ones. As a child we had a family doctor called Dr Barnes who was fantastic, sadly he's passed on now.
My G.P these days is very good. He's really understanding and honestly, I'd be dead without him. He stopped me from committing suicide.
My mothers cancer was treated as an infection for a few years (I remember her mentioning it from time to time) but no complaint was ever made. People in my local area do change GP though - all the time if the local forum is representative.