Effective Date: 01/04/2025
Clinic Name: British Hernia Centre
Address: Lindo Wing, St Mary’s Hospital, Praed Street, London W2 1NY

Email: experts@hernia.org
Telephone: 02082 017000

1. Policy Statement

At the British Hernia Centre, we are committed to providing high-quality surgical and clinical care.
We recognise that, on occasion, patients or their representatives may wish to raise concerns or make a complaint.
We welcome this feedback as an opportunity to review, learn, and improve our services.

We take all complaints seriously and aim to handle them promptly, fairly, and transparently, in line with:

  • The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014
  • The CQC’s Guidance on Complaints Handling
  • The GMC’s Good Medical Practice
  • The NHS Complaint Standards (where relevant)

2. Purpose

This policy sets out how patients, relatives, or carers can raise concerns or complaints, how these will be managed, and what they can expect in response.

3. Who Can Make a Complaint

A complaint may be made by:

  • A patient who has received, or is receiving, care at the clinic
  • A person acting on behalf of a patient, with the patient’s consent (for example, a relative, guardian, or advocate)
  • A representative of a patient who has died, is a child, or is unable to make the complaint themselves due to incapacity

4. How to Make a Complaint

You can make a complaint in any of the following ways:

In Writing:
Clinic Name: British Hernia Centre
Address: Lindo Wing, St Mary’s Hospital, Praed Street, London W2 1NY

Email: experts@hernia.org

By Phone: 02082017000

In Person:
Ask to speak with the clinic manager or surgeon during opening hours.

If you need help making a complaint, our staff can assist you or direct you to independent advocacy services.

5. What to Include in Your Complaint

To help us investigate promptly, please include:

  • Your full name, date of birth, and contact details
  • Details of what happened, where, and when
  • Names of any staff members involved (if known)
  • What outcome or resolution you are seeking

We encourage complaints to be made as soon as possible, ideally within 12 months of the event or of becoming aware of the issue.

6. How We Will Handle Your Complaint

Stage 1 – Local Resolution

  1. Acknowledgement:
    We will acknowledge your complaint within 3 working days of receipt.
  2. Investigation:
    The clinic manager or surgeon will review your complaint, gather relevant information, and may contact you to clarify details.
  3. Response:
    We aim to provide a full written response within 20 working days.
    If an investigation takes longer, we will update you and agree a new timescale.
  4. Outcome:
    The response will include:
    • A summary of your complaint
    • An explanation of what was found
    • Any actions taken to put things right or prevent recurrence
    • Information about what to do if you are not satisfied with the response

Stage 2 – Independent Review

If you are unhappy with our response or the way your complaint has been handled, you may request an independent review by an external adjudicator or relevant ombudsman (see Section 7).

7. Escalating a Complaint

If your care was funded privately:

You may contact the Independent Sector Complaints Adjudication Service (ISCAS) if your clinic is a member organisation:
Website: https://www.iscas.org.uk
Email: info@iscas.org.uk

If your care was NHS-funded:

You may contact the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO):
Website: https://www.ombudsman.org.uk
Telephone: 0345 015 4033

You can also contact the Care Quality Commission (CQC):

The CQC does not investigate individual complaints but welcomes information about concerns regarding care quality.
Website: https://www.cqc.org.uk
Telephone: 03000 616161

8. Learning from Complaints

All complaints are logged and reviewed by the clinic’s governance team.
We analyse complaints to identify recurring themes or areas for improvement.
Findings are discussed in clinical governance meetings, and actions are documented, implemented, and monitored.

Where appropriate, we share anonymised learning outcomes with staff to improve patient experience and safety.

9. Confidentiality

All complaints and investigations are handled in strict confidence.
Information will only be shared with those directly involved in investigating or responding to the complaint, in line with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

10. Support for Complainants

We recognise that raising a complaint can be stressful.
Patients are entitled to independent support from:

  • NHS Complaints Advocacy Service (for NHS-funded care)
  • Citizens Advice Bureau or other local advocacy organisations

Contact details can be provided upon request.

11. Monitoring and Review

This policy will be reviewed annually or sooner if guidance or legislation changes.
Complaints data and learning outcomes form part of our ongoing quality improvement programme.

12. Contacting the ICO

If your complaint involves concerns about how your personal data has been handled, you may contact the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO):

Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Helpline: 0303 123 1113
Website: https://www.ico.org.uk