Complaints

We hope that most problems can be sorted out easily and quickly, often at the time they arise, by asking to speak to the reception manager.

If your problem cannot be sorted out this way and you wish to make a complaint, we would like you to let us know as soon as possible (ideally within a matter of days) enabling us to establish what has happened more easily. If it is not possible to do that, please let us have details of your complaint:

  • Within 6 months of the incident that caused the problem.
  • Within 6 months of discovering that you have a problem, provided that is within 12 months of the incident.
The Practice Management Team will be pleased to deal with any complaint. You can make your complaint:
Verbally: reception staff will take as many details as possible from you and get the reception manager to contact you.
By email: please send this to blackpool.bmcgp@nhs.net.
In writing: Bloomfield Medical Centre, 118-120 Bloomfield Road, Blackpool, FY1 6JW.
Our complaints procedure is designed to make sure that we settle any complaints as quickly as possible.

We will acknowledge your complaint within 2 working days and aim to have investigated your complaint within 10 working days. We will then be able to offer you an explanation or an opportunity to meet with us.

When we investigate your complaint, we aim to:
• Find out what happened and what went wrong.
• Make it possible for you to discuss the problem with us.
• Make sure you receive an apology, if appropriate.
• Identify what we can do to make sure the problem does not happen again.

At the end of the investigation your complaint will be discussed with you in detail, either in person or in writing.
Please note that we keep strictly to the rules of medical confidentiality. If you are complaining on behalf of someone else, we must know that you have their permission to do so. A note signed by the person concerned will be needed unless they are incapable (because of illness) of providing this.
We hope that, if you have a problem, you will use our practice complaints procedure. We believe that this will give us the best chance of putting right whatever has gone wrong and the opportunity to improve our practice.

However, this does not affect your right to approach Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board’s Patient Experience Team:
Patient Experience Team: Jubilee House, Lancashire Business Park, Leyland, PR26 6TR.
Freephone: 0800 032 2424
Email: mlcsu.lscpatientexperience@nhs.net

You can find out more information here.


You can also complain to NHS England, who welcome concerns, compliments and complaints as valuable feedback that will help us learn from your experiences and make improvements to services we commission.

NHS England: PO Box 16738, Redditch, B97 9PT.
Telephone: 0300 311 22 33
Email: england.contactus@nhs.net, stating ‘For the attention of the complaints team’ in the subject line.

You can find out more information here.
If you are unhappy with the way we have handled your complaint, we will undertake further investigation to resolve it to your satisfaction.

However, if you are still not happy, you can report it to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman. The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman may investigate complaints on your behalf, but only if your complaint has already been investigated locally. There is no charge for this service and the ombudsman is completely independent of the NHS.

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman: Millbank Tower, Millbank, London, SW1P 4QP.
Telephone: 0345 015 4033
Email: phso.enquiries@ombudsman.org.uk
Website: www.ombudsman.org.uk
View our Comments, Suggestions & Complaints booklet