Your comments and suggestions are important to us, please click on the 'Suggestions Form' link, complete the form to send them to us.

Please note : only use this form for comments about the practice and suggestions as to how we can improve our service to you.

Medical matters and official complaints cannot be dealt with via this form. If you have a query regarding a medical matter please telephone reception to make an appointment to see the appropriate person.

We make every effort to give the best service possible to everyone who attends our practice.

However, we are aware that things can go wrong resulting in a patient feeling that they have a genuine cause for complaint. If this is so, we would wish for the matter to be settled as quickly, and as amicably, as possible.

To pursue a complaint please complete this form and the practice manager will deal with your concerns appropriately. 

Most problems can be sorted out quickly and easily with the person concerned, often at the time they arise, and this may be the approach you try first.

Where you are not able to resolve your complaint in this way and wish to make a formal complaint you should do so as soon as possible after the event and ideally within a few days, giving as much detail as you can, as this helps us to establish what happened more easily. In any event, this should be:

• Within 12 months of the incident,
• or within 12 months of you becoming aware of the matter

If you are a registered patient you can complain about your own care. You are not normally able to complain about someone else’s treatment without their written authority. See below for what to do in this case.

How to complain:

1. In writing, via the practice address - FAO Practice Manager, Siam Surgery, Sudbury Community Health Centre, Church Field Road, Sudbury, Suffolk, CO10 2DZ
2. Via email, marked for the attention of the Practice Manager - siamsurgery.patientcontact@nhs.net
3. Via the complaints form (available on our website using the link provided above) 
4. Via telephone 01787 322420 (if your complaint is complex you may be asked to be put this in writing)
5. In person - you can request an appointment to meet with one of our management team to discuss your concerns

If you do not wish to raise your complaint directly with the practice, you can make your complaint to Suffolk & North East Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB) who commission our service via their email address sneeicb.complaints@nhs.net. 

Please note, you cannot complain to both the practice and the ICB.

What We Do Next:

We do our best to settle complaints as soon as possible.

We will acknowledge receipt of your complaint within three working days and at this point you should be informed about the next steps and the estimated length of time required for investigation, which will depend on the nature of the complaint. If this happens to take longer than expected for any reason (including staff absence) we will let you know and keep you informed as the investigation progresses.

When investigating a complaint we attempt to see what happened and why, we also look to see if there is something we can learn from this and identify what we can do to make sure the problem does not happen again, and if appropriate we will make it possible for you to discuss the issue with those concerned, if you wish to do so.

The practice complaints manager is:

Rachael Barton - Practice Manager

Some complaints will be dealt with by the Assistant Practice Manager or the Patient Services Manager.

Complaining on behalf of someone else:

We keep to the strict rules of medical and personal confidentiality. If you wish to make a complaint and are not the patient involved, we will require express consent from the patient to confirm that they are happy for you to raise this on their behalf. You may also find that this applies if you are complaining on behalf of a child who is capable of making their own complaint.

Where the patient is incapable of providing consent due to illness, accident or mental capacity, it may still be possible to deal with the complaint. Please provide the precise details of the circumstances that prevent this. In the event the patient is deceased, then we may agree to respond to a family member or anyone acting on their behalf or who has had an interest in the welfare of the patient.

If you are dissatisfied with the outcome

You have the right to approach the Parliamentary & Health Service Ombudsman.
Their contact details are:

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
Millbank Tower
30 Millbank
London
SW1P 4QP

Tel:    0345 0154033

Website: www.ombudsman.org.uk

http://www.ombudsman.org.uk/make-a-complaint (to complain online or download a paper form). 

You may also approach Health Watch or the Suffolk Advocacy Service for help or advice;

The local Health Watch http://www.healthwatch.co.uk/

or call 03000 68 3000

The Suffolk Advocacy Service is able to be contacted at: https://www.pohwer.net/suffolk-advocacy-service