Feedback welcomed
We welcome feedback on all aspects of the services we provide and we are always delighted to receive compliments, which we will pass to the relevant people or teams.
If you have comments or concerns, in the first instance, please raise them directly with the site concerned. You can search for contact details using the following link:
Please note that if you are complaining on behalf of someone else, we will need their consent, confirming that they wish you to act on their behalf and understanding that in responding to your concerns, we will be sharing their confidential information with you.
Our complaints process
Frequently asked questions
How do I make a complaint?
The best way to make a complaint is to speak to a member of staff who is involved in your care. It is the responsibility of an appropriately experienced manager of the hospital, clinic or care home to look into and to 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 may be all that is required to put things right.
If you do not wish to speak to a member of staff, or if you're unhappy with the way in which they have dealt with your earlier concerns, you can take your complaint directly to the service manager.
If you would prefer to put your compliment, comment or complaint in writing, please address your letter to the hospital director or registered manager at the relevant Priory site. You can search for contact details using the following link:
What is the time limit for making a complaint?
If you’re unhappy about something, then it is always best to make your complaint as soon as possible. For NHS patients and adult social care residents in England, complaints need to be made within 12 months of the date of the event. For private healthcare or adult social care services in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, this needs to be within 6 months of the issue, or the person becoming aware of the issue.
This time limit can sometimes be extended (as long as it is still possible to investigate the complaint). An extension might be possible, such as situations where it would have been difficult to have complained earlier, for example, when someone is grieving or unwell.
When will I hear from you?
You'll be contacted by the service manager within 2 working days of us receiving your complaint, to acknowledge your concerns and to advise you on who will be investigating your complaint, when you can expect to receive a written response, together with an invitation to meet to discuss your concerns in more detail, if this would be helpful.
You will generally receive a written response within 20 working days of receipt of your complaint. However, it can sometimes take longer than this to carry out a full and thorough investigation, particularly if your complaint is very complex. In such cases, we will let you know the reason for any delay and tell you when we anticipate being able to respond in full.
While investigating your complaint, the service manager may need to telephone you to talk about aspects of your concern or to extend an offer to meet with you if you haven't previously met as part of the process. It would therefore be helpful if you could provide a postal address and telephone number for us to contact you.
Will my complaint be kept confidential?
To investigate your complaint, we'll need to discuss the concerns with clinicians and managers involved in the delivery of patient care and treatment. However, patients, their families or representatives are assured of confidentiality at all times.
What will happen as a result of my complaint?
It's important to be clear what you want to happen as a result of the complaint you're submitting. You may want:
- An apology
- Someone to explain what has happened
- Some changes or improvements to be made
- To make sure the same thing doesn't happen again
What if I'm not happy with how you respond to my complaint?
If you're dissatisfied with the way in which the service has handled your complaint, there are further options to request further consideration.
If you are receiving private services you may request that it be referred for a Regional Review (Stage 2) of the Priory complaint process.
NHS patients are able to request an external / independent investigation by the appropriate ombudsman if you remain unhappy with the outcome of your local investigation. Details on this will be provided at the end of the Local Investigation (Stage 1) letter of response.
Similarly, for Private Patients, should the Regional Review of a complaint not provide a satisfactory resolution to your continued concerns, there remains a final opportunity to refer your complaint for external or independent adjudication/review. These arrangements are detailed further in separate complaint process documentation - please see the next question and answer.
Do you have any information leaflets about the process?
Please review the following documents:
- Priory's ‘Making a Complaint’ booklet – guide for service users
- Priory's ‘Making a Complaint’ booklet (easy read) – guide for service users
- Priory's Mumbles and Grumbles leaflet – basic guide aimed at young people
- Priory's Complaint Policy – OP03 Complaints