NHS Community pharmacy, optometry and dental commissioning and complaints
NHS Community pharmacy, optometry and dental commissioning and complaints
From 1 July 2023, for the South East region, NHS Frimley ICB will employ and host the pharmacy, optometry, dental commissioning and complaints teams who will work on behalf of the six ICBs in the South East Region – i.e., Berkshire West, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire (BOB), Frimley, Hampshire & Isle of Wight, Kent & Medway, Surrey Heartlands and Sussex. This is in line with the national move to a system-based approach to improve and strengthen partnership working as set out in the NHS England operating framework.
What does this mean for the way pharmacy, optometry and dental services are commissioned?
Each ICB is responsible for improving services within its geography. The South East Commissioning Hub for pharmacy, optometry and dental commissioning, working on behalf of all ICBs across the South East will support the ICBs to integrate and design services across care pathways that better meet local priorities. The teams have the skills and experience to help design effective operating models in the context of a wider range of responsibilities.
What does this mean for the way people make complaints?
There are two ways people can make a complaint about GPs, dentists, opticians, or pharmacies:
- They can complain to the healthcare provider: this is the organisation where they received the NHS service, for example, a GP practice, a dental practice, a community pharmacy, or an optometry practice or
- They can complain to the commissioner of the service: this is the organisation that paid for the service or care they received.
After 1 July 2023, if people want to make a complaint about primary care services to the commissioner, the way to do this is changing. Rather than contacting NHS England, people will contact the Complaints team via the new contact details below:
South East Complaints Hub
NHS Frimley ICB
Aldershot Centre for Health
Hospital Hill
Aldershot
Hampshire
GU11 1AY
Phone number: 0300 561 0290
Email address: Frimleyicb.southeastcomplaints@nhs.net
As each email received is so important to the team, an acknowledgement of all complaints will be sent as soon as possible.
Information governance regulations mean that the emails sent to the old email address after 1 July, cannot be automatically forwarded and the inbox will not be accessible. People will therefore receive an automatic response, asking them to resend their email to the new address.
Members of the public with ongoing complaints received after 1 July 2022 will receive a letter from NHS England informing them that the Complaints team based in the South East Complaints Hub, hosted by NHS Frimley ICB will now be handling their complaint with confirmation of their case handler. We would like to reassure you that the current team and case handler will remain the same as the staff move organisation.
Members of the public will still be able to make a complaint to the provider. This is NOT changing. There is also no change for people wishing to make a complaint for specialised services, health and justice, screening and immunisations and continuing healthcare.
Information is available here NHS Frimley - Complaints and compliments (icb.nhs.uk)