Complaint Process
Introduction
HealthHero is committed to providing you with the highest standard of care and views complaints as an opportunity to learn and improve. A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction, either written or verbal that requires a response from us.
We follow a three-stage process and aim to ensure that all aspects of your complaint are dealt with in the strictest of confidence, promptly, efficiently and fairly.
On receiving a complaint, we endeavour to resolve it informally and to your satisfaction within 3 full working days. However, if we are unable to do so, we will escalate the matter as a formal Stage 1 complaint.
We will acknowledge your complaint, either by phone or email and make sure that we fully understand its nature.
Please note that in accordance with the terms and conditions and privacy information applicable to the service provided to you, all calls and consultations are recorded in the interests of all parties. Complaint information will be handled sensitively and strictly within the confines of applicable Data Protection Laws and clinical guidelines on confidentiality.
Making a complaint will not affect any ongoing use of the service you may wish to make.
HealthHero subscribes to the Independent Healthcare Sector Complaints Adjudication Service (ISCAS).
Stage 1
We aim to provide a full and formal response at Stage 1 within 20 working days. We will notify you of any delays to the process. For example, if the nature of your complaint is complex or requires investigation by a senior healthcare professional, it can take longer to complete.
The process involves:
- gathering sufficient information to review relevant records.
- viewing or listening to call recordings as necessary.
- a full response being prepared with an investigation, findings, comment and actions.
- the response being sent to you with the report findings, actions and if appropriate, any apology.
Internally we will:
- identify any staff training needs and act in a timely manner.
- identify any process improvements and action in a timely manner.
- where appropriate, anonymise the complaint and share with the team for learning purposes.
Stage 2
When you receive the Stage 1 response, if you are not satisfied that we have dealt with your complaint properly, you may request a review at Stage 2. You can ask for a Stage 2 review if:
- we haven't fully responded to your concerns.
- you’ve more evidence to support your complaint.
- you're unhappy with the outcome of our investigation.
- you're unhappy with our proposed resolution.
Before we agree to undertake a Stage 2 review, you must tell us why you believe your complaint has not been resolved, clearly identifying the reasons why you remain unhappy, the outcome you are seeking and what you would like us to do differently. This is so that the review can be focused on the specific outstanding elements of your complaint. We will take reasonable steps to understand why you remain unhappy, but we will not initiate a review until we have sufficient information to do so.
We do not always have to proceed with a review if we believe there is reasonable justification for not doing so. For example, we may decline to undertake a Stage 2 review if:
- you cannot provide us with any substantive reasons as to why the Stage 1 findings are wrong.
- you change the substance of the complaint or raise the same or new issues.
- you focus on a trivial matter to an extent that is out of proportion to its significance and continue to focus on this point.
The ISCAS Guidance for Managing Unacceptable Behaviour by Complainants provides the background to circumstances where we may consider that a Stage 2 review is not appropriate.
The Stage 2 process will not:
-
change the outcome of a Stage 1 response without valid reason.
-
re-investigate complaints where an adequate response has already been made at Stage 1.
A complaint review at stage 2 will be conducted by a senior member of staff who has not been involved in the handling of the complaint up to that point. We aim to provide a full and formal response at Stage 2 within 20 working days, but it may take up to 3 months. We will notify you of any delays to the process.
Stage 3
We hope that we can resolve any query or concern you may have, but if you remain unhappy with our Stage 2 response, you can initiate the Stage 3 process, which involves independent adjudication through The Independent Healthcare Sector Complaints Adjudication Service (ISCAS).
Stage 3 of the complaints process does not apply to complaints involving Data Protection issues.
The ISCAS Complaints Process can be viewed by clicking here.
Data protection complaints
If you believe that we have not responded satisfactorily to a privacy-related incident, or where you believe that we are not processing your personal information in accordance with the law, you can complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office in the UK by emailing casework@ico.org.uk, by calling +44303 123 1113. Additional contact methods are detailed on their website: https://ico.org.uk/global/contact-us.
Alternatively, if you are resident in Republic of Ireland you can raise your concern with The Data Protection Commission at https://forms.dataprotection.ie/contact.
How to make a complaint
Should you wish to make a complaint or would like to raise a concern you can do so by contacting HealthHero directly on the telephone number you have been given to access the service or by e-mailing your concerns directly to our Patient Care Team at complaints.epc@healthhero.com.
Alternatively, you can write to HealthHero;
|
For patients in The United Kingdom:
The Complaints Manager HealthHero Solutions Ltd Inspired Easthampstead Road Bracknell Berkshire RG12 1YQ |
For patients in Ireland:
The Complaints Manager HealthHero Healthcare Ireland Ltd 2 Dublin Landings North Wall Quay Dublin 1 D01 V4A3 |