Feedback and complaints procedure

Lifescan is committed to maintaining the highest standards in all the services that we provide. We ensure that we listen carefully to all comments from patients and enquiries, whether praise or criticism. All comments received are reviewed and where appropriate we make changes to the services we offer or the way in which we offer these services.

If you wish to complain

If you are unhappy with any aspect of our service please let us know as soon as possible. We will then investigate your comments, so that we can explain, apologise and take any action where required. In many situations, one of our Reception Managers, Patient Advisors or Medical Secretaries may be able to solve a general query. If this is not suitable, it may be appropriate to put your comments in writing for the attention of our HR & Operations Manager who will review and forward it to the most appropriate member of the management team or the Managing Director.

Any comments received are dealt with - we ensure that we:

• pass on any positive feedback or praise to the individuals involved
• deal with complaints in complete confidence
• investigate any comments and situations impartially
• offer a clear and complete explanation once an investigation is completed

Write to us

The Managing Director is responsible for all aspects of Lifescan and is in the best position to handle any complaint thoroughly and promptly. However, in some cases it may be more appropriate for the Clinical Director to handle the situation initially. You, or your representative (with your consent), can make a complaint by writing to Lifescan at it's Head Office; 12 Montacute Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN2 5QR or by email to info [at] lifescanuk [dot] org (which is directed to our HR & Operations Manager, who will forward to the Managing Director and the Clinical Director for review). Please state:

• the Centre or location you visited - or had dealings with if only contact is by telephone
• the date on which the situation arose
• names of the individuals who were involved in the situation, if known
• details of your complaint
• any further comments that you want to bring to our attention

Keeping you informed

Acknowledgments will be sent within 48 hours of receiving the complaint. We will then reply in full as promptly as we can - usually within 10 working days. If the investigation is still going on after 10 days we will write to explain the delay. In more complex cases, which may take more time, we will keep in regular contact with you to update you on any progress. You can at any time request a meeting with the Managing Director or Clinical Director if you feel this will enable the situation to be resolved.

If you are not happy with our response, you can take your complaint to another director of the business who has not previously been involved with the complaint. For instance, in some cases the Clinical Director may deal with the issue initially, but if you are unhappy with the response you can write to the Managing Director who will review your complaint further and offer any advice to help resolve the matter.

No complaint will be considered resolved until Lifescan has received confirmation from the complainant that they believe their issues to have been satisfactorily dealt with. If no response from the complainant is received within 6 months of the last communication from Lifescan, the situation will be deemed resolved.

An independent review

If for any reason, we have been unable to resolve your complaint, this process will be fully explained in a letter from the Managing Director. As an alternative, you can complain directly to the Care Quality Commission (regulator for independent healthcare in England) but the commission may decide that Lifescan should consider the complaint first.