1. Our Commitment

At Emerald Health, we are committed to providing a high standard of care and service. We welcome feedback and take all complaints seriously, using them as an opportunity to improve our services.

We aim to ensure that complaints are handled:

• Promptly
• Fairly
• Transparently
• In line with regulatory requirements

2. What is a Complaint?

A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction regarding:

• Clinical care or treatment
• Delays in prescriptions or services
• Communication or customer service
• Administrative processes
• Coordination with pharmacies

3. How to Make a Complaint

You can submit a complaint using the following methods:

Email: support@emeraldhealthclinic.co.uk

Please include:

• Your full name
• Date of birth
• Details of your concern
• Any relevant dates or correspondence

If you need support making a complaint, we are happy to assist.

4. Complaint Handling Process

Step 1 – Acknowledgement

We will acknowledge your complaint within 2 working days.

Step 2 – Investigation

We will:

• Review your records
• Speak with relevant staff or clinicians
• Liaise with third parties where necessary (e.g. pharmacy)

Step 3 – Response

We aim to provide a full response within 20 working days.

If this is not possible, we will update you with:

• The reason for the delay
• A revised timeframe

5. Complaints Involving Pharmacies

Emerald Health is a prescribing clinic and does not dispense medication.

If your complaint relates to:

• Medication quality
• Packaging
• Delivery issues

We may:

• Liaise with the dispensing pharmacy on your behalf
• Or direct you to the pharmacy to resolve the issue

We will remain involved where appropriate to support resolution.

6. Outcomes

Following investigation, we may:

• Provide an explanation of what happened
• Offer an apology where appropriate
• Identify learning and improvements
• Take corrective action where required

7. If You Are Not Satisfied

If you are unhappy with our response, you may escalate your complaint.

You can contact the Care Quality Commission:

Website: https://www.cqc.org.uk

Telephone: 03000 616161

Please note: The CQC does not investigate individual complaints but uses feedback to monitor services.

8. Time Limits

We recommend submitting complaints within 12 months of the issue occurring. However, we may still investigate older complaints where there is a valid reason.

9. Confidentiality

All complaints are handled confidentially and in line with our Privacy Policy.

Information will only be shared where necessary to investigate the complaint.

10. Learning from Complaints

We use complaints to improve our service by:

• Reviewing trends
• Updating policies and procedures
• Training staff
• Monitoring outcomes through clinical governance processes

11. Duty of Candour

Where something has gone wrong in your care, we will:

• Be open and honest
• Provide a clear explanation
• Offer an apology where appropriate
• Take steps to prevent recurrence