Foundation Cosmetic Course

Complaints Policy

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Complaints policy for Croxley Cosmetic Clinic and Sue’s Cosmetic clinic
Updated 8/7/2020
Policy Statement

Everyone has the right to expect a positive experience and a good treatment outcome. In the event of concern or complaint, clients have a right to be listened to and to be treated with respect. Service providers should manage complaints professionally so customers’ concerns are dealt with appropriately. Good complaint handling matters because it is an important way of ensuring customers receive the service they are entitled to expect. Complaints are a valuable source of feedback; they provide an audit trail and can be an early warning of failures in service delivery. When handled well, complaints provide an opportunity to improve service and reputation.

Aims & Objectives

  • We aim to provide a service that meets the needs of our patients and we strive for a

high standard of care;

  • We welcome suggestions from patients and from our clinicians and staff about the safety and quality of service, treatment and care we provide;
  • We are committed to an effective and fair complaints system; and
  • We support a culture of openness and willingness to learn from incidents, including complaints.

Promoting Feedback

Information is provided about the complaints policy and external complaints bodies that

patients can go to with a complaint, such as Save Face, BACN, NMC in a variety of ways, including;

  • On our website;
  • Through our patient feedback questionnaire
  • Direct contact with Sue Parslow via face to face appointment, email or phone

Clinician and Staff Training

All clinicians and staff need to have been appropriately trained to manage complaints competently.

Complaints Policy

  • Clients are encouraged to provide suggestions, compliments, concerns and complaints and we offer a range of ways to do it.
  • Clients are encouraged to discuss any concerns about treatment and service with their treating clinician, or they can complete our customer feedback form.
  • All complainants are treated with respect, sensitivity and confidentiality.
  • All complaints are handled without prejudice or assumptions about how minor or serious they are. The emphasis is on resolving the problem.
  • Clients can make complaints on a confidential basis and be assured that their identity will be protected.
  • Clients will not to be discriminated against or suffer any unjust adverse consequences as a result of making a complaint about standards of care and service.
  • Clinicians are expected to attempt resolution of complaints and concerns at the point of service, wherever possible and within the scope of their role and responsibility.
  • Any concerns raised remotely, via telephone, email or text must be acknowledged promptly but a face to face appointment booked in order to discuss in detail, with accompanying assessment and review for medical records.

The process of resolving the problem will include:

  • An expression of regret to the patient for any harm or distress suffered;
  • An explanation or information about what is known, without speculating or blaming others;
  • Considering the problem and the outcome the patient is seeking and proposing a solution; and confirming that the patient is satisfied with the proposed solution.

If the problem is resolved, the details of the complaint and resolution will be documented in the notes, and a report given to the client.

Responsibilities

Sue Parslow is responsible for;

  • Coordinating investigation and review of formal complaints, conducting risk assessments (in consultation with clinicians), liaising with complainants, maintaining a register of complaints and other feedback.
  • Ensuring there is meaningful reporting on trends in complaints
  • Ensuring compliance and review of the complaints management policy
  • Notifications to insurers and consultation with professional registration bodies, and others where necessary.

Timeframes

  • Formal complaints are acknowledged in writing or in person within 48 hours.
  • The acknowledgment provides contact details for the person who is handling the complaint, how the complaint will be dealt with and how long it is expected to take.
  • If a complaint raises issues that require notification or consultation with an external body, the notification or consultation will occur within three days of those issues being identified.
  • Formal complaints are investigated and resolved within 30 days.
  • If the complaint is not resolved within 20 days, the complainant, clinicians and staff who are directly involved in the complaint will be provided with an update.

Records and Privacy

  • Sue Parslow maintains a complaints and client feedback register (e.g. Save Face portfolio), with records of informal feedback (Suggestions for improvement and patient feedback forms) and formal complaints.
  • All interactions with the complainant, including face to face, telephone, email or text are documented in the client’s record.
  • Personal information on individual complaints is kept confidential and is only made available to those who need it to deal with the complaint.
  • Complainants are given notice about how their personal information is likely to be used during the investigation of a complaint.
  • Individual complaints files are kept in a secure place.
  • Patients are provided with access to their medical records [in accordance with the confidentiality policy]. Others requesting access to a client’s medical record as part of resolving a complaint are provided with access only if the client has provided written authorization [in accordance with the confidentiality policy].

Open Disclosure and Fairness

  • Complainants are initially provided with an explanation of what happened, based on the known facts.
  • At the conclusion of an inquiry or investigation, the complainant and relevant clinicians and staff are provided with all established facts, the causal factors contributing to the incident and any recommendations to improve the service, and the reasons for these decisions.

Investigation and Resolution

The owner, Sue Parslow carries out investigations of complaints to
identify what happened, the underlying causes of the complaint and preventative strategies.
Information is gathered from:

  • Listening to the complainant’s views on their experience and concerns
  • Establishing what kind of resolution is expected
  • Reviewing medical records and other records; and creating a coherent timeline of treatment episodes, reviews and communications.
  • Gathering and reviewing any supporting documents and records
  • Reviewing relevant policies, standards or guidelines.

Risk Assessment

After receiving a formal complaint, Sue Parslow reviews the issues in consultation with relevant clinicians to decide what action should be taken, consistent with the risk management procedure.

Reporting and Recording Complaints

A monthly audit will be run to monitor complaints and resolution.  Learning outcomes from these will be assessed and any improvements implemented.

Information about trends in complaints and how individual complaints are resolved will be used as part of reflecting on the performance of the service and opportunities for improvement.

An annual quality improvement report is published that includes information on:

Ill

  • The number and main types of complaints received, common outcomes and how complaints have resulted in changes;
  • How complaints were managed—how the complaints system was promoted, how long it took to resolve complaints (and whether this is consistent with the policy) and whether complainants and staff were satisfied with the process and outcomes; and
  • The results of the annual patient satisfaction survey.
  • The service promotes changes it has made as a result of patient complaints and suggestions in its general publicity.

Formal Complaints

Complaints that are not resolved at the point of service, or that are received in writing and require follow up, are regarded as formal complaints.

If the complaint is not resolved at the point of service, Sue Parslow will provide the complainant with the formal complaints policy.

The complaint will be discussed between herself and the client.

Assessing Resolution Options

Formal complaints are normally resolved by direct negotiation with the complainant, but some complaints are better resolved with the assistance of external bodies and authorities.

Sue Parslow will sign post the complainant to an appropriate external body if;

  • There is a serious question about the adequacy and safety of a health practitioner;
  • The complaint is against Sue Parslow who will be responsible for investigating the complaint, resulting in a perception that there is a lack of independence; or
  • The complaint raises complex issues that require external expertise.

If the client is not satisfied with the result of any procedure/treatment then a complaint can be made to:-

  • The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, Millbank Tower, Millbank, London SW1P 4QP. Telephone 0345 015 4033, ombudsman.org.uk (http://www.ombudsman.org.uk)

Date 1/7/2020, last reviewed 1/7/2020.
Next review date 1/7/2021

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