Complaint Policy

Policy on Complaints Management

1.0    THE ART OF AESTHETICS LIMITED T/A Atelier - Art of Aesthetics has put in place policies and procedures for handling and investigating complaints about all aspects of the service, treatments and care provided to patients.

1.1    All staff (including those with practising privileges) will receive a copy of the complaints procedure and will receive training on complaints and the complaints handling process at THE ART OF AESTHETICS LIMITED T/A Atelier - Art of Aesthetics.

See Policy for Induction of New Staff

2.0    Timescales for Handling and Investigating Complaints:

2.1    All complaints will receive a written acknowledgement within 2 working days of receipt (unless a full reply can be sent within 5 working days)

2.2    A full response will be made within 20 working days of receipt of the complaint (if this is not possible a letter, explaining the reason for the delay will be sent to the complainant and a full response will be made within 5 working days of the conclusion of the process)

3.0    Outcome:

3.1    Complainants will be notified of the outcome of their complaint and any action taken as a result of the complaint.

4.0    Complaints Register:

4.1    A register will be kept of complaints containing the following information:

·    Date of complaint
·    Name of complainant
·    Date complaint acknowledged
·    Nature of complaint
·    Action taken to investigate
·    Outcome / action taken
·    Date full response to complainant
 

5.0    Records of Complaints:

·    All correspondence relating to a complaint will be kept for 3 years.
·    A register will be kept of all complaints including appropriate details including outcome.
·    A quarterly audit of complaints will be produced detailing the nature and outcomes of complaints and an annual summary of complaints will be sent to the Care Quality Commission

5.1    An annual summary of complaints, including

·    Number
·    Nature
·    Resolution
·    Actions taken

5.2    The summary will be provided to the Care Quality Commission and upon request a copy may be viewed by any patient or prospective patient.
 

Policy for Handling and Investigation of Complaints

1.0    Policy:

1.1    All complaints will be dealt with quickly and effectively between the individuals concerned and any justified grievances will be promptly remedied. It will be made clear to the complainant that they may contact the Care Quality Commission at any time in connection with a complaint.

1.2    If the Care Quality Commission wishes to investigate a complaint, THE ART OF AESTHETICS LIMITED T/A Atelier - Art of Aesthetics will provide adequate facilities for any authorised person to interview, in private, any patient.

1.3    Any complaints of unprofessional conduct against a doctor will be referred to the General Medical Council. Complaints about nursing staff will be referred to the Nursing and Midwifery Council and Allied Health Professionals to the Health & Care Professionals Council.

1.4    A notice will be posted in the waiting rooms giving a clear indication to all Patients that should they wish to register a complaint they should in the first instance address it in writing to:      Agnieszka Zatonska
THE ART OF AESTHETICS LIMITED T/A Atelier - Art of Aesthetics 76 High Street
Egham TW20 9HE

1.5    The notice will also contain the name, address and telephone number of the Care Quality Commission.

2.0    Procedure for Handling of Complaints:

2.1    All complaints will be fully investigated by the Registered Manager (Agnieszka Zatonska).

2.2    All complainants will receive a written acknowledgement within 2 working days of the complaint.

2.3    The complainant will receive a written response within 20 working days or a written explanation of why the response is taking longer and when they can expect a response. A full response being made within 5 working days of a conclusion being reached.

2.4    All staff involved in a complaint will be informed of the outcome and advice on preventing recurrence.

2.5    On completion of a complaint a full written report will be made including any recommendations and actions by the Registered Manager (Agnieszka Zatonska).

2.6    Where a complainant is not satisfied at the conclusion of the complaint process they have several options depending upon the nature of the complaint:

1.    Independent dispute resolution – contact details to be notified by the service provider
2.    Where the complaint may relate to a breach of professional standards of conduct, clinical competence or fitness to practise, patients can raise their concerns with the appropriate professional regulator (Doctors – General Medical Council, Nurses – Nursing & Midwifery Council, Allied Health Professionals – Health & Care Professions Council (see below).
3.    Where the complaint relates to a breach of statutory regulations and the organisation is registered with the Care Quality Commission patients can contact the CQC (see below).
4.    Patients retain the option of seeking legal advice relating to a complaint about the service provided by any healthcare provider.

2.7    Any complaint proceeding to litigation will be notified to the Care Quality Commission.

3.0    Complaint should be made in writing to the Registered Manager (Agnieszka Zatonska)

3.1    The Registered Manager (Agnieszka Zatonska) will conduct an investigation and will gather information

3.2    This will lead to a full written report being produced and made available to those concerned.

3.3    The investigation will include:

-    Speaking to all persons concerned
-    Reviewing records and other documents
-    Producing a written summary of the facts of the complaint
-    Producing responses to written complaints
-    Completing the appropriate records of the complaint
-    Informing all relevant parties as to the outcome of the complaint and any remedial action.
 

3.4    The Care Quality Commission is the regulator for independent Healthcare. The Care Quality Commission has no statutory powers to investigate any complaints that patients or other members of the public make about independent healthcare services, nor do they have a regulatory role to manage, arbitrate or resolve their complaints, concerns or allegations. However, they will take account of all information that they receive from the public about registered independent providers, or about unregistered providers that they consider should be registered. They assess whether this ‘concerning information' suggests that:
·    An offence has been committed as set out in the Health & Social Care Act 2008
·    A regulation has been breached as set out in the associated regulations, or
·    The provider has contravened a condition of their registration with us, as set out in their registration certificate.

3.5    If they suspect that the provider has committed an offence under the Act or a breach under the regulations, they are required to take action to bring about improvement.

3.6    Care Quality Commission    
    CQC Healthcare    
    Citygate
    Gallowgate    
    Newcastle upon Tyne    
    NE1 4PA    

Tel:    03000 616161
Email: enquiries@cqc.org.uk
Web:  www.cqc.org.uk

3.7    Staff will provide help to any patient or relative of a patient wishing to make a complaint.

3.8    Contact Details:
The General Medical Council    Tel:    0161 923 6602
350 Euston Road    www.gmc-uk.org
London NW1 3JN

The Nursing & Midwifery Council    Tel:    0207 7333 9333
23 Portland Place    www.nmc-uk.org
London, W1B 1PZ

Health & Care Professions Council    Tel:    0300 500 6184
Park House    www.hcpc-uk.org
184–186 Kennington Park Road, London, SE11 4BU