Complaints procedure
Comments, suggestions and compliments
Manx Care encourages comments and suggestions about its respective functions, duties and responsibilities. Like complaints, this feedback can help shape and improve the design and delivery of health and social care services on the Island. Compliments are also very much welcomed, as knowing what works well is as important as putting things right when they go wrong.
If you wish to make a comment or suggestion, or indeed want to share a compliment, simply share your feedback with any employee or the relevant responsible manager at Manx Care or one of Manx Care’s commissioned service providers if the feedback is concerned with a GP, Dentist, Pharmacist or Care Service for example.
Concerns
If you have a concern about any aspect of a service provided by Manx Care or its commissioned service providers (GPs, Dental Practices, Pharmacies, Care Services etc.) we strongly encourage you to take the matter up directly with the service at the earliest opportunity. Concerns can usually be resolved quickly and if this can be achieved to your satisfaction within 3 working days then formal procedures do not need to be implemented.
If you are not sure who to contact directly about your concern or general enquiry please get in touch with our Manx Care Advice and Liaison Service (MCALS). The team can help with a range of queries, questions and concerns and can be contacted as follows:
Manx Care Advice and Liaison Service (MCALS)
Telephone: +44 1624 642642
Email: MCALS@gov.im
Formal complaints and local resolution
From the 1 April 2021, health and social care services, historically provided by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), became the responsibility of Manx Care. Arrangements for the handling of complaints have therefore been amended to reflect the distinct roles of DHSC and Manx Care.
Following public consultation the Complaints Regulations identified below have been approved by Tynwald, streamlining the process to allow for the implementation of a consistent procedure, regardless of which part of Manx Care your complaint is about.
- National Health Service (Complaints) Regulations 2022
- Social Services (Complaints) Regulations 2022
- Social Services for Children (Complaints) Regulations 2022
- Health and Social Care Ombudsman Body (Constitution, Etc.) Regulations 2022
Who can complain?
A complaint can be made by:
- An existing or previous patient/service user
- The representative of a patient/service user (i.e. a person acting on their behalf with their written consent)
- A representative acting in the best interests of a patient/service/child who does not have the capacity to make a complaint themselves
- Any person who is affected, or likely to be affected, by the action, omission or decision of Manx Care or a commissioned service provider
- A relative/representative of a patient/service user/child who is deceased (where it is deemed that undertaking an investigation would be beneficial, particularly in terms of learning opportunities and improved services for future patients/service users)
Timescale for making a complaint
A complaint can be made within 12 months of the date on which the issue occurred or within 12 months of the date on which the complainant became aware of the issue.
How can complaints be raised?
A complaint can be raised orally, in writing or electronically (for example by email). For oral complaints, a written record summarising your complaint will be provided to give you the opportunity to read and sign for accuracy. Any employee of Manx Care (for complaints concerning services provided directly by Manx Care) or any employee of a commissioned service provider (for complaints concerning a commissioned service provider) should be able to provide you with information about the complaint’s process.
Complaints concerning services provided by Manx Care should be directed to the Care Quality and Safety Team who have established a central access point for complaints via a dedicated postal address, email address and telephone number:
Care Quality and Safety Team
First Floor, Reayrt Noa
Noble’s Hospital
Strang
Isle of Man
IM4 4RJ
Email: manxcarecomplaints@gov.im
Telephone: +44 1624 650500
If your complaint is concerned with a Manx Care commissioned service, such as Primary Care (GPs), Dental Practices, Pharmacies or Care Services for example, you should submit your complaint directly to that service / practice. Like Manx Care, individual commissioned service providers are responsible for ensuring the Complaint Regulations are applied and for having clear processes for managing their complaints.
Complaint receipt and acknowledgment
Once we have received your complaint we will provide you with an acknowledgement letter within 5 working days accompanied by a Complaint Information Leaflet. We will allocate a Complaint Handler who will contact you to invite you to a meeting to discuss your complaint in more detail.
Formal investigation
The Complaint Handler will coordinate the investigation of your complaint and act as you main point of contact. The Complaint Handler may allocate additional investigators to help look into your complaint and it may sometimes be necessary to seek an expert opinion on complex clinical or procedural matters.
We will provide you with a written response (by letter or email, whichever is preferred) within 20 working days of receipt of the complaint. This response may be the final outcome letter or it may be an update letter, detailing progress to date with an indication of when the investigation may be concluded. We will endeavour to resolve your complaint as quickly as possible; however in the event the complaint exceeds 6 months you will be notified of your right to escalate your complaint for independent review by the Health and Social Care Ombudsman Body.
Independent review
Where all efforts at local resolution have been exhausted but the complainant remains dissatisfied, the complainant may refer their complaint to the Health and Social Care Ombudsman Body to have their complaint independently reviewed.
If a complaint investigation goes beyond 6 months from the date of receipt, the complainant will be notified in writing of their right to refer their complaint to the Health and Social Care Ombudsman Body.
Correspondence issued by Manx Care will include contact details for the Health and Social Care Ombudsman Body with reference to the following time scales for referring to them:
- 12 months after the date on which the complainant became aware of the matter alleged in the complaint
- 6 months after a decision in writing has been issued
- whichever is the later
The Health and Social Care Ombudsman Body can be contacted as follows:
Health and Social Care Ombudsman Body
PO Box 18
Douglas
Isle of Man
IM99 1UT
Email: HSCOB@gov.im
Process summary
The flowchart available via Downloadable documents provides a simplified headline overview of the revised arrangements for complaint handling under the provisions of the Complaint Regulations 2022.
