Second step

Action to be taken within three working days of receipt of the complaint

  • Acknowledge the complaint
  • The acknowledgement can be oral or written, but should include:
    • an apology for the difficulties the patient has experienced.
    • an invitation to discuss the way forward.
    • details of an advocacy service.
    • a copy of the practice’s complaints procedure.

The practice manager manages to contact Mr Cross by phone and provides an oral acknowledgement. She discusses with him the way forward for the investigation, using a template planning document (see 3 below) and this enables her to draw up an agreed plan of action. She makes a note of the conversation in the complaints log.

If you cannot contact the complainant by phone within the three working days required, you should acknowledge the complaint in writing. One way forward, under such circumstances, would be to enclose a draft plan of action for the complainant’s consideration, asking for confirmation within a set timescale.

 

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