Talk to Us – How to Make a Complaint
At Lister Medical Centre, we want to give you the best care. But if something goes wrong, you have the right to tell us.
Why Complaints Matter
We know things don’t always go perfectly. If you tell us what went wrong, we can learn and make things better for everyone.
Who to Talk To
Most problems can be sorted out quickly. You can talk to any member of staff – they are trained to help with complaints.
You can also ask to speak to someone from Practice Management if they are available.
If they are not, a member of staff will take your details and Practice Management will call you back as soon as they can.
You can complain by:
- Talking to us
- Writing it down
- Filling out a Complaints Form (get one from reception or download it)
- Sending an email to: contact.lister@nhs.net
When to Complain
You should tell us within 12 months of the problem happening, or within 12 months of when you found out about it.
We will:
- Say we got your complaint within 3 working days
- Look into it and try to reply quickly
- Keep you updated if it takes longer
- Try to finish everything within 30 working days (this depends on the situation)
What to Do After You Complain
Once you’ve made a complaint:
- Please wait for us to respond — we aim to reply within 30 working days
- Do not call or email to chase before the 30 working days have passed
- We will keep you updated if there are any delays
This helps us focus on investigating your complaint properly and fairly.
Looking Into Complaints
We take all complaints seriously and follow the rules to make sure it’s done properly.
Keeping It Private
We keep all complaints private. They are not put in your medical record.
Complaining for Someone Else
Someone else can complain for you, but you must give permission. You can do this on the Complaints Form.
Our Final Reply
We will send you a final letter with what we found and what we will do.
If You’re Still Not Happy
If you don’t agree with the outcome, you can ask for more help by contacting:
Patient Experience Team
Hertfordshre & West Essex Integrated Care Board
Patient Experience Team phone number: 01992 566122
ICB switchboard: 01707 685000
ICB website: hertsandwestessex.icb.nhs.uk
ICS website: hertsandwestessexics.org.uk