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The Village Medical Centre
Patient Complaints Template Sheets
HELPFUL HINTS AND GUIDELINES
Guidelines for Letters
Content of the Letter
Before sending your initial complaint letter it is really important to check that you have written down
all the issues you want to complain about. Any issues not raised in your initial complaints letter will
not be dealt with during the complaints procedure. They would have to be dealt with as a new,
separate complaint.
• Use names and titles of staff if you know them - don't worry if you don't know.
• In your complaint letter, you should clearly outline what it is you are complaining about and what
it is you hope to achieve. For example: an apology or treatment.
• If you are describing a series of events, write them in the order they happened, with dates and
times where appropriate.
• Report as accurately as possible the events and conversations you refer to in your complaint.
• Be concise and clear, so there is less chance of misunderstanding.
• Try not to repeat yourself.
• Put your concerns politely but firmly.
Other things to remember…
• If you are complaining on behalf of someone else- don't forget to include a consent form or add a
sentence to say that the patient is authorising you to act on their behalf and get the patient to
countersign the letter.
• Keep copies of all letters sent and received in date order, so you can refer back to them when
needed.
• If you would like other people to be sent copies of the Manager's response to your letter (e.g.
your ICAS Advocate) you should include a sentence near the end of the letter instructing them and
including the person's postal address.
• If you are also sending copies of your letter to other parties you should show this by including the
names of these parties after the signatures.