Created by the HLTH Group

Complaints Policy

Enquire

Policy Lead – Mr Anthony MacQuillan
Registered – Manager Paul Wilson
Nominated – Individual Anthony MacQuillan
Version – No. 1.0
Date of issue – August 2025
Date to be reviewed – August 2027
Signed  - Mr Anthony MacQuillan

The Northwood Hospital will be trading as The Northwood Hospital

Introduction

The Northwood Hospital believes that if a service user or their relatives are unhappy about any element of the care we provide; or if they feel that we can improve in some way, that the service user or their relatives are fully entitled to complain.

We welcome feedback in any form and believe that feedback provides the opportunity to learn, improve and develop the service we are providing. Any complaints, comments or feedback will be taken seriously and dealt with appropriately.

We will always investigate complaints; and appropriate action will be taken in response to issues that are identified.

Scope

This policy applies to all individuals who receive care and support from The Northwood Hospital, including service users, their families, advocates, and representatives. It also applies to any member of the public or stakeholder who wishes to raise a concern about the service provided.

Roles and Responsibilities

The Registered Manager:

Has overall responsibility for the complaints process and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.
Ensures that all complaints are logged, investigated, and responded to within required timeframes.
Reviews complaint outcomes and ensures appropriate corrective and preventive actions are taken.
Reports trends and outcomes of complaints to senior management and relevant external bodies as required (e.g. CQC, local authority).

Staff:

Must report any complaints or expressions of dissatisfaction received during service delivery to their line manager or the Complaints Lead immediately.
Must cooperate fully and honestly in any complaint investigation.
Should handle complaints with empathy, professionalism, and without defensiveness.

Administration Staff:

Log all complaints and correspondence accurately and confidentially.
Support communication between relevant parties during the complaint process.

Service Users, Families, and Representatives:

Are encouraged to raise concerns or complaints without fear of discrimination or negative consequences.
Have the right to be supported by an advocate or representative during the complaints process.
Should receive clear information on how to make a complaint and what to expect in terms of timescales and outcomes.

Complaints Procedure

How to make a complaint

The Northwood Hospital has a 3 stage process for handling complaints; local resolution, complaint review by company director and external adjudication.

Stage 1 – Local Resolution

If you wish to make a complaint, this can be done by telephone, in person or in writing. You may wish to raise your complaint with the Registered Manager of The Northwood Hospital.

The Registered Manager is responsible for investigating complaints, and for ensuring that all complaints are dealt with. If you feel it is necessary to complain directly to the Registered Manager, please contact:

Address:

The Hospital Manager,
Northwood Hospital,
1400 Bristol Parkway North,
Stoke Gifford,
Bristol,
BS34 8YU.

Telephone: TBC
Email: paul.wilson@northwoodhospital.co.uk

If your complaint is made by telephone or in person, we will make a written record of your complaint and will provide you with an acknowledgement letter within 3 working days. You are fully entitled to make your complaint in writing. Our letter of acknowledgment will contain the name of the person who will investigate your complaint.

How your complaint will be investigated

Your complaint will be thoroughly investigated. This will be done within 20 working days, and we will provide you with a written response detailing the outcome of the investigation and any action that has been taken.

During the investigation, the Registered Manager will need to collect and examine evidence in a variety of ways. This may include carrying out interviews, looking at written records and documentation and they may wish to visit you or speak to you over the phone.

The Registered Manager will keep you informed about the progress of the investigation, either by telephone or in writing.

If the matter of the complaint is particularly complex it may take longer than 20 working days to investigate. We will let you know about the delay, and a new date for the conclusion of the investigation will be agreed.

Any communication about your complaint, and the outcome of the complaint, will always be conveyed to you in writing. All investigations regarding complaints must be concluded within 6 months.

Stage 2 – Complaint review by company director

Patients who remain dissatisfied with the outcome of stage 1 may request, in writing, to have their complaint moved to stage 2. This request should be made within 6 months of the response to original complaint. The handling of the complaint at stage 2 will be reviewed by:-

A director of the Company who has not been involved with the complaint at stage 1. The Director will interview staff concerned and review all documentation to form an independent view of the handling of the complaint. The Director will respond directly to the patient either upholding or not upholding the complaint. For surgical patients the decision must be approved by a surgical Director.

Stage 3 – If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of your complaint

Patients who are dissatisfied with the outcome of the complaint handling review at stage 2 can make a request, in writing, within 6 months of the final response to stage 2 to the Independent Sector Complaints Adjudication Service (ISCAS), where eligible, or to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) for NHS-funded care.

Independent Sector Complaints Adjudication Service (ISCAS) at www.iscas.org.uk

ISCAS will only become involved if the first 2 stages of the process have been completed as confirmed by The Northwood Hospital.

The Northwood Hospital is registered with and regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). The CQC is happy to receive information about our service at any time. The Care Quality Commission can be contacted as follows:

National Customer Service Centre
Citygate
Gallowgate
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 4PA
Tel: 03000 616161
Email: enquiries@cqc.org.uk

Complaints from Representatives

We will only accept complaints from a service user’s representative if they have the consent of the service user; or when the service user cannot complain unaided. The representative must always be acting in the service user’s best interests.

Anonymous Complaints

Any complaints that are made anonymously will be taken seriously and the details of the complaint documented. If you make an anonymous complaint, it will be investigated but we will not be able to provide you with details of the outcome.

Recording of Complaints

All complaints and associated documentation will be securely recorded and retained in accordance with our data retention policies and statutory requirements. Complaint data will be reviewed regularly to identify trends, risks, and areas for quality improvement.

Advocacy

If you require assistance in understanding this procedure or support in making your complaint, we can provide you with details of local advocacy services. Please contact the Registered Manager for further information.

Annual Development Plan

The Northwood Hospital completes an Annual Development Plan. This Plan is completed so that we can assess our historic performance and improve on it during the following year. It is only through this on-going review that we can develop and improve what we provide for our service users.

Complaints are one of the areas that we review as part of the Annual Plan. We specifically consider the following:

The type and number of complaints received
The subject matter of the complaints
The outcomes of the complaints
Thereafter, we issue recommendations

This report will be shared with the management team within the organisation and will be used to review the service.

Complaints regarding the Registered Manager

In most cases, the Registered Manager is responsible for receiving, investigating, and responding to complaints. However, to maintain transparency and impartiality, any complaint made about the Registered Manager will follow an alternative, independent process to comply with the requirements of the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Escalation

If a complaint is made against the Registered Manager, it will be escalated to the Nominated Individual.

This ensures that the Registered Manager has no involvement in investigating complaints about their own conduct, in line with Regulation 16 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014.

Acknowledgement and Communication

The complaint will be acknowledged within 3 working days, with confirmation that the Registered Manager will not be involved in the investigation due to a conflict of interest.
The complainant will be informed who will oversee the investigation and how to contact them.
All communications will be made in accessible formats and with reasonable adjustments if required, in accordance with the Equality Act 2010.

Investigation Process

The complaint will be investigated by a suitably senior, trained individual who has no personal involvement in the issues raised.
If required, an external independent investigator may be appointed to maintain impartiality.
The investigation will be conducted fairly, objectively, and with regard to the rights of both the complainant and the Registered Manager, in line with principles of natural justice and UK GDPR.

Outcome and Response

A full written response will be provided within 20 working days of receipt of the complaint. If the investigation takes longer, an update will be provided with a revised timescale.

The response will include:

A summary of the investigation and findings
Any actions taken or planned as a result
An apology or explanation where appropriate, in line with the Duty of Candour
Details of how to escalate the complaint if the outcome is not satisfactory

Escalation Options

If the complainant remains dissatisfied with the outcome, they may escalate the matter to:

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) (for concerns about safety, regulation or leadership)
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) (if the care was publicly funded)
Any relevant professional or regulatory body

We will provide contact details and support for the complainant to escalate if requested.

Confidentiality, Fairness and Protection from Retaliation

All complaints will be handled confidentially, and in accordance with our Data Protection and Whistleblowing policies.
The Registered Manager will be informed of the complaint and given a right to respond, unless this compromises the safety or integrity of the process.
All parties involved will be treated fairly and with respect. No person will suffer detriment for raising a concern or making a complaint in good faith.

Complaints from Employees

If an employee wishes to make a complaint about The Northwood Hospital; or any aspect of our work, this must be raised as a grievance and not via this complaints policy. Please speak to the Registered Manager who can provide you with a copy of the Grievance Procedure.

Training requirements

Everyone working or volunteering with The Northwood Hospital will be required to undertake an induction that includes mandatory training in complaints handling and conflict resolution.

This will then need to be updated annually.

Monitoring

The Registered Manager will monitor complaints as per the Annual development plan.

Related Policies and Procedures

Confidentiality Policy and Procedures
Grievance Policy and Procedures
Freedom to Speak Policy and Procedures
Duty of Candour Policy and Procedures
Training and Development Policy and Procedures