From 1 July 2023, the way members of the public make a complaint about primary care services to the commissioner changed from NHS England to NHS Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board.

All Primary Care Providers are required to have a Complaints Policy in place which complies with the NHS Complaints Regulations 2009.

It is expected that all Primary Care providers address any complaints they receive directly from patients, in line with their Complaints Policy.  If a complaint cannot be resolved at Practice/provider level and attempts at local resolution has been exhausted, the next stage is to refer the complainant to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) for an independent review of the complaint.  The ICB is unable to resolve complaints that have already been investigated by the Practice/provider.

If a Primary Care Provider complaint is received by the ICB, we will determine if it is appropriate for the ICB to handle the complaint.  If the ICB agrees to handle the complaint, it will be passed over to the newly formed East Midlands Primary Care Complaints Hub Team.  The Primary Care Complaints Hub Team is hosted by Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB and will handle the complaint on behalf of the ICB and make contact with the Practice/provider to request a formal response.  The Hub will also arrange for an independent clinical review, where this is indicated.

If the ICB does not agree to handle the complaint, for example complaints about staff attitude, access to appointments, refusal to complete forms, consent will be obtained to send the complaint over to the Practice/provider, to be addressed locally.

If the PALS team (managed by LCHS) is contacted with a Primary Care related concern/issue.  Where appropriate, the PALS team will try to resolve the query or signpost the patient back to the Practice/provider for a resolution.

For information, the contact details for the Complaints & Customer Care Team are:

Telephone: 01522 309299

Email: licb.feedbacklincolnshireicb@nhs.net

ICB leaflet –Link

What has changed?

From 1 July 2023 the way members of the public make a complaint about GP Practices changed.

There are two ways a patient can make a complaint:

1. To the organisation where they received the NHS service i.e. GP surgery.

2. To the commissioner of the service: this is the organisation that paid for the service or care you received i.e. NHS Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board.

After 1 July 2023 if you want to make a complaint about a GP Practices to the commissioner you will now contact NHS Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board instead of NHS England.

You can do this by:

Telephone: 01522 309299

E-mail: LICB.feedbacklincolnshireicb@nhs.net

Writing to us at: NHS Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board, Complaints and Customer Care Team, Bridge House, The Point, Lions Way, Sleaford NG34 8GG.

If you want to make a complaint directly to the GP Practices, you still can – that does not change on the 1 July 2023.

What should Practices do now?

1. Update your complaints policy

2. Update your complaints leaflet (ICB leaflet –Link)

3. Update your website