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Knowledge

Complaints

Updated: 07/02/25 14:18PM
Introduction The Regency Eye Hospital prides itself on providing service users with professional quality care and treatment. However, there may be occasions when an individual’s expectations are not met. If you are dissatisfied with the service that you have received from us, you have the right to report this and have your concerns investigated. Our aim is to deal with your concerns sensitively, confidentially and to provide an appropriate response and a fair resolution for all complaints. This means that we will at the very least:
  • Provide you with an explanation and apology, where appropriate
  • Take action to put things right including a refund or a goodwill gesture payment if considered appropriate
This guide outlines the complaint process at Regency Eye and provides you with some advice about how to achieve a satisfactory resolution to your concerns.

How do I start?

You can make a complaint verbally to any member of staff or in writing (including email) to the Registered Manager.

Verbal complaints made at the time will be dealt with immediately where possible. Should a satisfactory solution not be achieved your complaint will be processed in the same way as a written complaint.
An appropriately experienced manager of the clinic will look into your complaint and respond to all of your concerns. Our aim is to resolve any problems as quickly and informally as possible. In some cases, for example, a discussion with an appropriate member of staff is all that is required to put things right.
If you address your concerns to a member of staff, it is a good idea to make a note of when you did this, who you spoke to and how the matter was dealt with. It is also useful to have a record of this should you need to take the matter further at a later stage.

If you do not wish to speak to a member of clinic staff, or if you are unhappy with the way in which they have dealt with your earlier concerns, you can take your complaint directly to the Registered Manager.

Can I act on someone else’s behalf and they on mine?

If you feel anxious about making a complaint, you can ask a relative or friend to do so on your behalf. The manager will ask you for your written, signed consent confirming that you have given your permission for them to act on your behalf. By taking this course of action you are waiving your right to confidentiality of your own clinical information, as we may have to share this with the person acting on your behalf.
Likewise, if you are unhappy with the way in which a friend or relative has been treated, you may make a complaint for them however, you will need their signed consent in writing to do this.

What should I include in my letter?

You do not need to write a long and very detailed letter but you should include all the points you wish us to address. You should tell us:

  • Who or what has caused your concern. Try to make clear the most important points.
  • If you are complaining about a member of staff, give their name and position if you know it.
  • Where and when the events took place.
  • What action you have already taken, if any.

Is there a time limit for making a complaint?

Complaints should normally be made as soon as possible and within 12 months of the date of the event complained about, or as soon as the matter first came to the attention of the complainant. The time limit can sometimes be extended (as long as it is still possible to investigate the complaint).

Can I access my health records?

You have the right to see your personal records under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). However, please note that access to some health records can be refused if disclosure is likely to cause mental or physical harm to yourself or to a third party.
A fee may also be charged for granting access to records that are being automatically processed or to accessing a mixture of manual and automated records.

For further information about accessing your records, you should contact the Clinic Administration Manager directly on 0161 947 2721. The Information Commissioners Office (ICO) has also issued its own guidance on what happens when an individual wish to challenge the accuracy of any of the information held about them and more details on this can be found on the ICO website at – http://www.ico.gov.uk/

Should I keep a written record?

It is recommended that you maintain an accurate record of events.
Keep a record of:

  • All your papers and correspondence relating to the complaint.
  • All the telephone calls you have had, including the date of the call, to whom you spoke and the contentof your telephone call.
  • Any visits or meetings together with details of what was discussed.

Stage 1 – Initial Complaint

The manager who has been allocated to your complaint will send you a written acknowledgement within two working days of receipt of your complaint advising you on when you can expect to receive a response and offering a meeting to discuss your concerns if this would be helpful.
You will generally receive a full, written response within 20 working days of receipt of your complaint. However, it can occasionally take longer than this to carry out a full and thorough investigation, particularly if your complaint is very complex. In such cases, the manager will let you know the reason for any delay and tell you when they anticipate being able to respond by issuing a holding letter every 10 working days until a conclusion is reached.
Whilst investigating your complaint the manager may need to ring you to talk about aspects of your concerns or to extend an offer to meet with you if you have not previously met as part of the process. They may also suggest using mediation (which means involving an independent third party) to try to resolve the matter.

Stage 1 – Initial ComplaintWhat should I do when I am offered a meeting?

Before agreeing to attend a meeting it is a good idea to discuss arrangements for the meeting with the manager and to give your views on how you would like it to be conducted:

  • Ask what form the meeting will take so that you are well prepared.
  • Say who you would like to be there on your behalf. If there is someone you do not want to see, let the manager know (for example, some people may not wish to meet the person who they are complaining about, whereas others may feel it is important for them to be present).
  • Ask where the meeting will be held and how long it will last. If you have views on this, make them known.
  • If you have particular questions you would like answered, tell the manager in advance so that they can seek out the information or make sure that the right staff are at the meeting. It is also a good idea to bring a copy of your questions to the meeting so you can remember what they are.
  • Confirm that notes will be taken at the meeting and request that a copy of these be sent to you. Also makeyour own notes as it is all too easy to forget what has actually been said

Think about taking a friend or relative with you to the meeting as it can be helpful to have someone with you to give you support and also to take notes. It is useful to be able to talk to them afterwards to go over what was said and to think about what to do next. Make sure they know the questions you want to ask and what you want to achieve. Inform the manager if you plan to bring someone with you.

After the meeting, the manager will investigate any new issues arising from the meeting and arrangements will be made to send you a full written response concerning all aspects of the investigation, including any remedial action to be taken to improve the quality of the services that we provide together with details of what to do next should you remain dissatisfied with the response.

What happens if I am not happy with the response?

If you are not happy with the response to your complaint, let the manager know that you are still not satisfied and explain why. Where at all possible, the manager will try to address and resolve any continuing concerns but may feel that there is nothing further that can be done at this stage of the complaint process.

Stage 2 – Directors’ Review

If you wish to request a director’s review, you should do so within 6 months of the date of the final written response from the manager and the request should be made in writing to the following address:

The Director
Regency Eye Hospital, 2 Gibwood Road, Northenden M22 4BT

The internal review will be undertaken by a director of the clinic not involved in your care. They will arrange for a detailed review of the Stage 1 investigation and determine whether there are any grounds for further investigation. Following the review, the director will ensure that a formal response to your complaint is provided within 20 working days of the original receipt of the Stage 2 request (or further extended period if agreed); by confirming the findings and actions as taken by the manager at Stage 1 or, alternatively, by advising you on a revised outcome.

If you remain dissatisfied with the outcome and resolution offered, you have the right to seek guidance from solicitors or in the case of medical professionals their regulatory bodies e.g. NMC for nurses and GMC for doctors or their defence organisations (we can provide further details if required). Regency Eye is regulated by the Care Quality Commission.

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