Making a complaint
We want to hear if you are unhappy with any part of our care. Complaints help us improve the quality, safety and effectiveness of our service. Making a complaint will not affect your care.
How to complain
You can complain in person, by telephone, by email or by letter to our Registered Manager:
Johanne Harvey, Registered Manager
Email: admin@commisceohealthandwellness.co.uk
Telephone: 01702 742414
Post: Suite Seven, The Skyline Plaza, 45 Victoria Avenue, Southend-on-Sea, SS2 6BB
Please complain within six months of the event, or of when you became aware of it. We will still consider a later complaint where there is a good reason for the delay and it is still possible to investigate fairly.
Someone can complain on your behalf. We will ask for your written consent (an email or electronic signature is fine) before we share any confidential information with them. We can provide information in accessible formats and make reasonable adjustments, and you can have an advocate, carer or representative to support you.
If you have any outstanding fees, they are put on hold while your complaint is going through our complaints process.
Our complaints process
Stage 1: Local resolution
- We will acknowledge your complaint within 3 working days and tell you who is handling it.
- We will offer you a meeting, or a telephone or video call, to understand your concerns, and send you a written summary of what we agreed within 5 working days.
- We will normally send you a full written response within 20 working days. If we need more time, we will update you in writing at least every 20 working days and explain why. We aim to complete this stage within 3 months.
- We will reply to any further correspondence about your complaint within 5 working days.
Stage 2: Internal review
If you are not satisfied with our response, write to us (by letter or email to the details above) within six months of our Stage 1 response and ask for an internal review, saying what is still unresolved. We can help you do this. A Director or other senior person who was not involved in your complaint will review it. We will acknowledge your request within 3 working days and send a full written response within 20 working days, or a written update at least every 20 working days. We aim to complete the review within 3 months.
If your complaint is about the Registered Manager, it will be handled by Dr Nehal Ahmad, Director. You can contact him through the clinic email or telephone number above, or by letter marked "Private and confidential – for the Director".
Stage 3: Independent external review
If you are still not satisfied after the internal review, you can ask for an independent external review. Which organisation reviews your complaint depends on how your care was paid for. For privately funded care, Commisceo Health & Wellness Services Ltd is joining the Independent Sector Complaints Adjudication Service (ISCAS), so that its subscription is in place when the service opens. For NHS-funded care, you can ask the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman to review your complaint once you have our final response, within 12 months of becoming aware of the problem: 0345 015 4033, www.ombudsman.org.uk. This is free.
The Care Quality Commission
The CQC does not investigate individual complaints, but you can tell it about your experience of our care at www.cqc.org.uk/give-feedback-on-care or on 03000 616161.
Free, independent advice
- Healthwatch Essex: 0300 500 1895, www.healthwatchessex.org.uk
- Citizens Advice consumer helpline: 0808 223 1133, www.citizensadvice.org.uk
Concerns about an individual professional's fitness to practise can also be raised with their professional regulator, for example the General Medical Council or the General Pharmaceutical Council.
What our complaints process cannot do
It cannot decide whether clinical negligence has occurred or award compensation (you may wish to seek independent legal advice), order a refund of fees (although a goodwill gesture may be offered where appropriate), or decide whether a professional has breached their professional standards. Complaints about how we handle your personal information can be made to the Information Commissioner's Office (see our Privacy Policy).
You can ask us for a copy of our full complaints policy.
We do not tolerate abusive, threatening or harassing behaviour towards our staff.