Policy Statement

 

Everyone has the right to expect a positive experience and a good treatment outcome. In the event of concern or complaint, patients 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.

• 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 including;

 

• On our website

• Via email

 

If you have a concern or wish to make a complaint please advise us as soon as possible, an appointment will be made for you to be seen. It may be possible to discuss over the phone, or by email, if your concern is not related to a treatment outcome. If your concern is related to a treatment outcome, we will need to see you in order to assess and document the medical record.

 

The email to send formal complaints to is harperandcoclinic@gmail.com.

 

Be assured

• We will listen to your views on your experience and concerns

• We will document your views and concerns in the medical record and confirm with you that this record reflects your views and concerns accurately.

• We will treat you with respect, sensitivity and maintain confidentiality.

• All complaints are handled without prejudice or assumptions.

• The emphasis will be on identifying the problem and how we might resolve the problem.

• We will establish what kind of resolution you expect.

• If possible, your clinician will provide you with an explanation of what has happened, based on the known facts.

• If appropriate, your clinician will provide you with support, advice and/or propose a management plan depending on the assessment and diagnosis of the concern presented.

• You may request a copy of your medical record and report should you wish to seek a second opinion.

• After attempting to resolve the complaint, they do not feel confident in dealing with the complainant; or

• The outcome you are seeking is beyond the scope of their responsibilities Or;

• They or you believe the matter should be brought to the attention of someone with more authority.

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Dr. Kate Harper will carry out investigations of complaints to identify what happened, the underlying causes of the complaint and preventative strategies. Information is gathered from:

 

• Factual written reports

• 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.

 

At the conclusion of an inquiry or investigation, the complainant and clinician 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.

 

Records and Privacy

 

• Dr. Kate Harper will maintain a complaints and patient feedback register with records of informal feedback.

• All interactions with the complainant, including face to face, telephone, email or text are documented in the patient record.

• Personal information on individual complaints is kept confidential and is only made available to those who need it to deal with the complaints.

• 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 on a restricted access section of the computer system’s file server.

• Patients are provided with access to their medical records [in accordance with the confidentiality policy]. Others requesting access to a patients’ medical records as part of resolving a complaint are provided with access only if the patient has provided authorization [in accordance with the confidentiality policy].

 

Timeframes

 

• Formal complaints are acknowledged in writing or in person within seven working days.

• We aim to have formal complaints resolved within 28 working days.

 

 

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.

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Change to this notice

 

This Privacy Policy was last updated on 25 May 2025. We review this notice from time to time and updates will be put on our website.