Complaints

We make every effort to give the best service possible to everyone who attends our practice.

However, we are aware that things can go wrong resulting in a patient feeling that they have a genuine cause for complaint. If this is so, we would wish for the matter to be settled as quickly and as helpfully as possible.

To pursue a complaint please contact Stephanie Lomax the Practice Manager, who will deal with your concerns as set out in the Welsh Government's 'Putting Things Right' Complaints Protocol . 

​Information about 'Putting Things Right​'

More information and resources in alternative formats and languages can be found on the Welsh Government putting things right website (opens in new tab).

Putting things right guidance in alternative formats (opens in new tab)

Putting things right guidance in foreign languages (opens in new tab)

What to expect when you make a complaint

When you make a complaint you will be contacted within two working days​, we will investigate your complaint openly and honestly and will respond to you within 30 working days wherever possible.  If the investigation is expected to take longer, we will contact you to explain why, and you will receive a regular update.

The NHS Duty of Candour

From April 2023 The duty of candour is a legal requirement for all NHS organisations in Wales. It requires them to be open and transparent with service users when they experience harm whilst receiving health care. They will be required to:

  • talk to service users about incidents that have caused harm
  • apologise and support them through the process of investigating the incident
  • learn and improve from these incidents
  • find ways to stop similar incidents from happening again

This duty builds on the Putting Things Right that has been in place since 2011.

As a service user you do not need to do anything for the duty of candour.  

Go to the Legislation.gov.uk website to read the Duty of Candour Regulations

Watch the video to learn more about the Duty of Candour.

Getting help to raise your concern

If you need help to raise a concern, Llais – your voice in health and social care can help you do this.

Llais is an independent body and its free Advocacy service and can provide information, advice and support to members of the public who may wish to raise a concern.
 
Llais can support you to raise a concern and give advice on the most appropriate course of action. You can contact your local Llais office at the following address:
 
Advocacy Service

Llais – West Wales 

Suite 5, First Floor

Ty Myrddin

Old Station Road

Carmarthen

SA31 1BT 

Tel:  01646 697610

e-mail: 
westwalesadvocacy@llaiscymru.org 

To access Llais’ website go to 
Your voice in health and social care | Llais (llaiswales.org) (opens in new window)

​Public Services Ombudsman For Wales​

​If you are unhappy with the way we have handled your complaint, please let us know so that we can discuss this with you.  Additional steps can be taken to try and answer all of your questions.​  ​However, if you are still not happy, you can report it to the Public Services Ombudsman For Wales but only if your complaint has already been investigated by the surgery. 

Address: ​Public Services Ombudsman For Wales​. 1 Ffordd Yr Hen Gae, Pencoed, CF35 5LJ
Telephone: 0300 790 0203​
Email: ask@ombudsman.wales


Ombudsman (opens in new tab)

Violence Policy

The NHS operate a zero tolerance policy with regard to violence and abuse and the practice has the right to remove violent patients from the list with immediate effect in order to safeguard practice staff, patients and other persons. Violence in this context includes actual or threatened physical violence or verbal abuse which leads to fear for a person’s safety. In this situation we will notify the patient in writing of their removal from the list and record in the patient’s medical records the fact of the removal and the circumstances leading to it.