Comments, Suggestions and Complaints
Whatever you want to say, your opinions and comments are important to us - good or bad. We review all the comments you make and we use that information to improve our services and facilities even further.
We always:
- Listen carefully
- Pass on any praise to the people concerned
- Handle complaints in complete confidence
- Investigate impartially
- Offer a clear and complete explanation
- Take all comments and complaints seriously
Acknowledgement
To reassure you that we have received your comments, we will send you a written acknowledgement, either by letter or email, within 48 hours of receiving your complaint.
Responding to your complaint (Local Resolution - Stage 1)
Depending on the nature of your concern we may contact you by phone to talk about what happened, clarify points you have raised or request further information from you. We will then reply in full as promptly as we can - usually within 20 working days. If the investigation is still going on after 20 days we will write to explain the delay. In very complex cases, which may take more time, we will send you regular progress reports. We may suggest meeting you to talk through your issues and attempt to resolve them.
An appeal to the CEO (Organisational Review - Stage 2)
If you are not happy with the response from the Clinic Manager, you can then take your complaint to the CEO. The CEO will not have been involved in your complaint at Stage 1, therefore will provide an objective assessment of your complaint. When requesting escalation of your complaint we ask that you clarify in writing your unresolved concerns so that the CEO can review your complaint effectively and, either confirm the decisions and actions taken by the Clinic Manager, or reach an alternative decision to help resolve the matter.
An independent review (Independent External Adjudication - Stage 3)
We will do everything we can to resolve your complaint to your satisfaction without having to reach this stage. However, if after Stages 1 and 2, you feel that we have not resolved the complaint to your satisfaction you can request an independent external adjudication. External adjudication is an independent review carried out by the Independent Sector Complaints Adjudication Service (ISCAS). The director you have been communicating with at Stage 2 will advise you as to the process of external adjudication. You must write within six months of receipt of the Stage 2 decision letter. For Stage 3 complaints regarding private care please write to:
Independent Adjudication Secretariat, Independent Sector Complaints Adjudication Service Ltd, 70 Fleet Street, London EC4Y 1EU.
Tel: 0207 536 6091
E-mail: info@iscas.org.uk
www.iscas.org.uk
Care Quality Commission
You may also wish to share your experience with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Although they cannot look into individual complaints about healthcare services, they would still like to hear from you if you are not happy about the care you receive. This is because they can use this information when they are looking at individual services in England to make sure that they are meeting important standards of quality and safety. To contact the Care Quality Commission call 03000 616161 or visit their website: www.cqc.org.uk/contact-us.
Confidentiality
When we look into your complaint we may need to refer to your health records and our response may require reference to medical information about you. If you do not want us to do this it is your responsibility to inform us, though please kindly note this may limit our ability to deal with your complaint. If you wish to discuss the implications of this further, you can contact the Harley Street Medical Centre Caldicott Guardian, who is a senior person responsible for protecting patient confidentiality. Please note, if you are making a complaint on behalf of someone else, we require their written consent for their personal information to be shared in this way (this is to comply with data protection laws).
Complaints monitoring
All complaints are recorded on a central database. Reports on complaints go to Harley Street Medical Centre’s Board of Directors. These reports do not identify patients or complaints. We use the lessons we learn from complaints to improve services for our patients.
UME Health is a leading outpatient and diagnostics centre located on Harley Street, offering high-quality imaging services and compassionate patient care.
About us
Health services
UME Group LLP. Registration number: OC333533. A Company Registered in England and Wales. Registered office: 17 Harley Street, London, W1G 9QH ©Copyright 2024 - UME Group LLP. Built and maintained by Dezign41 London
Comments and suggestions
If you would like to express appreciation or make a suggestion, please speak to the Clinic Manager or person in charge. You can also use the Patient Feedback Questionnaires available in Reception. If you prefer, you can email us: bookings@umegroup.com
If you are not satisfied with your experience
We recognise that there are times when things go wrong. When this happens we want to respond to complaints swiftly and, where we can, try to put things right. If you tell us as soon as the problem/concern arises, we aim to address the matter straight away. In many cases, the person looking after you may be able to solve a day-to-day query. Otherwise, the Clinic Manager or person in charge will be happy to help. If they are not able to address the matter to your satisfaction there and then you may wish to make a formal complaint by putting your concerns/issues in writing (this will not affect your treatment in any way).
Making a Formal Complaint - Write to us
Make a complaint by emailing us or writing us a letter stating:
Your complaint will be recorded as part of our formal complaints policy. Please write the full details to: Comments, Concerns and Complaints, Harley Street Medical Centre, 17 Harley Street, London, W1G 9QH. Email: bookings@umegroup.com