Third step

Finalise a plan of action for investigating the complaint

The plan should include:

  • Complaint reference number.
  • Complainant’s name and contact details.
  • Complainant’s preferred means of contact (if it is email make it clear that this may not be a secure means of corresponding).
  • Patient’s name and details if different from complainant.
  • Has consent been sought/obtained, if appropriate?
  • Name of person who contacted the complainant.
  • Date of contact.
  • Summary of complaint with dates of incidents.
  • List of issues to be investigated.
  • Outcome the complainant is seeking.
  • Agreed investigation plan (eg, use of conciliator, internal investigation by whom, external investigation by whom).
  • Consent to share information with those involved in the investigation.
  • Agreed timescale for a response.
  • How the practice will provide the response.
  • Details of source of advocacy suggested.
  • Any further information which may be helpful (eg, language or disability issues).

Send a copy of the plan to the complainant.

During her telephone conversation with Mr Cross the practice manager has confirmed that the issues for investigation are: 

  • Difficulty in getting an appointment and attitude of receptionist on 26 and 27 March.
  • Failure to diagnose angina at the consultation and the doctor’s attitude on 31 March.
  • Failure to identify his allergy to penicillin in the past.
  • Third party feedback about problems experienced by other patients.

Mr Cross has agreed that:

  • The practice manager will investigate the issues relating to the appointment system, attitude of the receptionist and third party feedback.
  • The senior partner will investigate the clinical issues relating to the alleged missed diagnosis and the patient’s allergy.

The practice manager explains that she cannot comment on the third party feedback Mr Cross has provided in his letter but she is willing to let him have information on the general feedback the practice have received via its patient surveys.

When asked what he would like to see achieved at the end of the investigation, Mr Cross stated that he wanted to see an improvement in the appointment system and wanted an apology from Dr Busy for what he considered to be a misdiagnosis.

He also wanted an apology from the practice, with reassurances, about his penicillin allergy.

A timescale for the investigation is negotiated. The senior partner is on leave for a week and the practice manager allows for this in estimating how long the investigation will take. She indicates that Mr Cross should receive a full response within four weeks. She gives a specific date.

The practice manager agrees that she will ring Mr Cross to let him know when the response is being posted to him. It is also agreed that once Mr Cross receives the letter setting out the findings of the investigation, the practice manager will ring him to see whether he would like to come into the surgery to discuss the matter further, before Local Resolution is signed off.

She includes in the plan confirmation of the advocacy services available. In Mr Cross’s case, the practice manager provides both ICAS and also Age Concern as possible sources of help.

A copy of the plan is sent to Mr Cross with an invitation to get in touch if he is unhappy with any aspect of it.

 

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