Batley Pharmacy — Comments, Concerns and Complaints

We want to hear from you if you are unhappy with any part of our service — NHS or private — so that we can put things right and learn from it. Making a complaint will not affect the care you receive from us.

1. How to raise a concern or complaint

Many concerns can be sorted out quickly by speaking to the pharmacist or a member of the team. If you would prefer to make a formal complaint, you can do so in any of these ways:

• in person at the pharmacy, where we can talk to you in a private consultation room;
• by telephone or email to the pharmacy: Batley Pharmacy — 01924 442845, batley.pharmacy1@nhs.net;
• in writing to the Superintendent Pharmacist, Mohammad Mujtaba Ahmed, at the pharmacy or at our registered office, 157 Upper Commercial Street, Batley, West Yorkshire, WF17 5DH.

You do not need to use a form, and you can ask someone to help you. If you need information in another format or language, or any other support to make a complaint, please tell us.

2. Who can complain, and time limits

You can complain about care or a service you received, or that someone else received if you are acting for them with their agreement, or if they have died, are a child, or cannot complain themselves. Please complain within 12 months of the event, or of when you first knew about it. We can still look into a later complaint where there is good reason for the delay and it is still possible to investigate fairly.

3. What happens next

• We will acknowledge your complaint within 3 working days and offer to discuss with you how it will be handled and how long it is likely to take.
• We will look into it thoroughly and fairly, and keep you informed of progress.
• When we have finished, we will write to you explaining what we found, what we have done or will do about it, and what to do if you are still not satisfied.
• If it will take longer than we told you, we will let you know why and when to expect our response.

Where your complaint concerns another organisation, such as your GP practice, we will ask your permission before sharing it with them, so that you receive one co-ordinated response.

4. Complaints about NHS services

If your complaint is about an NHS service, you can choose to complain to NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board instead of to us. The ICB commissions NHS pharmacy services in this area. Please complain to either us or the ICB, not both. Contact: Patient Advice and Liaison Service — email wyicb.pals@nhs.net, telephone 01924 552150 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 4.30pm), or see westyorkshire.icb.nhs.uk.

If you are not satisfied with the final response to a complaint about an NHS service, you can ask the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman to look into it: phso.org.uk or 0345 015 4033.

5. Complaints about private services

Complaints about private services are handled by us in the same way. The ICB and the Ombudsman do not deal with private services. If you are still not satisfied, you can get free advice about your consumer rights from Citizens Advice on 0808 223 1133 or at citizensadvice.org.uk. We will tell you whether an alternative dispute resolution scheme is available.

6. Concerns about a pharmacy professional

If you are concerned about the professional standards or fitness to practise of a pharmacist or pharmacy technician, or about the standards of a pharmacy, you can raise it with the General Pharmaceutical Council at pharmacyregulation.org.

7. Complaints about how we use your information

Complaints about how we handle your personal information are dealt with by our Data Protection Lead. See section 11 of our Privacy Notice batleypharmacy.co.uk/privacy-notice), or email dataprotection@eightlands.co.uk. You can also complain to the Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk or on 0303 123 1113.

8. Help and support

Free, independent NHS complaints advocacy is available to help you make a complaint about an NHS service. Your local Healthwatch or council can tell you who provides it in your area.