Complaints Procedure

1. Our Commitment

At I Care Service Providers Ltd, we are committed to providing high-quality eye care services. We welcome feedback, including complaints, as they help us improve our services and ensure we meet your expectations.

We aim to:

• Resolve complaints quickly and fairly
• Learn from complaints to improve our services
• Treat all complainants with respect and dignity
• Maintain confidentiality throughout the process
• Provide clear information about our complaints procedure

2. What Is a Complaint?

A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction about:

• The standard of service you have received
• The conduct of our staff or optometrists
• Our policies or procedures
• The care or treatment provided
• Billing or administrative issues
• Facilities or equipment

3. How to Make a Complaint

3.1 Informal Resolution

We encourage you to speak to us directly first. Many concerns can be resolved quickly through informal discussion:

• Speak to the optometrist or staff member involved
• Contact our practice manager
• Call us during business hours
• Discuss your concerns during your next appointment

3.2 Formal Complaint

If informal resolution is not appropriate or unsuccessful, you can make a formal complaint:

By Email:

complaints@eyecareprovider.co.uk

By Phone:

07737886713 (ask to speak to the Practice Manager)

By Post:

In Person:

Speak to any member of staff who will record your complaint and pass it to the appropriate person.

4. Information to Include

To help us investigate your complaint effectively, please provide:

• Your details: Name, address, phone number, email
• Date and time: When the incident occurred
• Staff involved: Names of any staff members involved
• Description: Clear details of what happened
• Impact: How the issue has affected you
• Resolution sought: What outcome you would like
• Supporting evidence: Any relevant documents or information

5. Time Limits

5.1 Making a Complaint

We encourage you to raise complaints as soon as possible after the incident. Generally:

• Complaints should be made within 12 months of the incident
• Or within 12 months of becoming aware of the issue
• We may consider complaints outside this timeframe in exceptional circumstances

5.2 Our Response Times

• Acknowledgment: Within 3 working days
• Initial response: Within 10 working days
• Final response: Within 20 working days
• Complex cases: May take longer (we will keep you informed)

6. Our Investigation Process

6.1 Initial Assessment

• We acknowledge receipt of your complaint
• We assign a complaint handler (not involved in the original issue)
• We assess the complaint and determine the investigation approach
• We may contact you for additional information

6.2 Investigation

• Review relevant records and documentation
• Interview staff members involved
• Consult with clinical staff if appropriate
• Consider relevant policies and procedures
• Gather all relevant evidence

6.3 Response

• We provide a written response explaining our findings
• We outline any actions we will take
• We explain your right to escalate if you remain dissatisfied
• We offer a meeting to discuss the outcome if appropriate

7. Possible Outcomes

Following our investigation, we may:

• Uphold the complaint: Accept that our service fell short
• Partially uphold: Accept some aspects of the complaint
• Not uphold: Find that our service met appropriate standards

7.1 Remedial Actions

Where appropriate, we may offer:

• An apology
• An explanation of what happened
• Changes to our procedures
• Additional training for staff
• A refund or adjustment to charges
• Repeat treatment or service
• Other appropriate remedy

8. If You Remain Dissatisfied

If you are not satisfied with our response, you have several options:

8.1 Internal Review

• Request a review by a senior manager
• Provide additional information or evidence
• Request a meeting to discuss the complaint

8.2 External Bodies

You can contact relevant external bodies:

General Optical Council (GOC)

NHS England (for NHS services)

Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman

Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman

9. Serious Incidents

Some complaints may involve serious incidents that require immediate attention:

• Patient safety concerns
• Serious clinical errors
• Safeguarding issues
• Data breaches
• Discriminatory behavior

These will be escalated immediately and may involve:

• Immediate action to ensure safety
• Reporting to relevant authorities
• Independent investigation
• Regulatory body notification

10. Support and Advocacy

You may wish to seek support when making a complaint:

10.1 NHS Advocacy Services

Free, independent support for NHS complaints:

• Help understanding the complaints process
• Support in making your complaint
• Assistance at meetings
• Contact your local Healthwatch organization

10.2 Citizens Advice

Free advice and support:

• Website: www.citizensadvice.org.uk
• Phone: 03444 111 444

11. Learning from Complaints

We use complaints to improve our services by:

• Identifying patterns and trends
• Reviewing and updating policies
• Providing additional staff training
• Improving communication processes
• Enhancing patient experience
• Sharing lessons learned across the organization

12. Confidentiality

We treat all complaints confidentially:

• Information is only shared with those involved in the investigation
• We comply with data protection requirements
• Personal information is handled according to our Privacy Policy
• We may anonymize complaints data for learning purposes

13. Record Keeping

We maintain records of complaints:

• For monitoring and improvement purposes
• To identify trends and patterns
• For regulatory reporting requirements
• Records are kept securely and confidentially
• In accordance with our data retention policy

14. No Disadvantage Policy

Making a complaint will not affect:

• Your future care or treatment
• Your relationship with our staff
• Your access to our services
• How you are treated by our organization

15. Vexatious or Unreasonable Complaints

While we take all complaints seriously, we reserve the right to:

• Limit contact with persistent complainants
• Refuse to investigate repeated complaints about the same issue
• Set boundaries for unreasonable behavior
• Refer matters to appropriate authorities if necessary

16. Contact Information

For complaints or questions about this procedure:

17. Review and Updates

This complaints procedure is reviewed annually and updated as necessary to ensure it remains effective and compliant with current regulations.