Feedback, Suggestions & Complaints

We are always looking to improve our services. You can help us to do this by letting us know how we are doing.

Have you had a positive experience at our surgery recently?

Is there anything you that you would like to suggest that could have improved your visit?

Is there something about your experience that you would like to speak to a member of the team about?

We encourage all patients to contact us should you wish to make a comment, suggestion or complaint (because we don’t always get things right), please write or ask to speak to the management team at the surgery. We have our complaints procedure on display at both sites for your information. 

If you would like to leave a review for the practice, you can use the NHS choices website below. 

Leave a review - Riverside Medical Practice - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

If you would like to make a complaint to the management team you can contact us directly and we will do our best to resolve the issue for you.  

Telephone:                  01634 240238

Email:                          Riversidemedicalpractice@nhs.net

Please Note - Complaints about Primary Care (GP, Dental, Optometry, Pharmacy) services within Kent and Medway should be made direct to the service you are complaining about OR to the South East Complaints Hub, by:  

• Email: kmicb.patientexperience@nhs.net
• Phone: 01634 335095 Option 7
• Postal address: Patient Experience Team, 2nd Floor, Gail House, Lower Stone Street, Maidstone, Kent, ME15 6NB

POhWER is a free, independent and confidential service that can help you to use the NHS complaints service. You can contact them by post: POhWER, POBox 14043, Birmingham, B69BL,

Telephone: 0300 200 0084, Email: pohwer@pohwer.net. 

They also have a website www.pohwer.net  

Or if you wish you could contact:

Post: Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF. Phone: 0303 123 1113 (local rate) or 01625 545745 (national rate) Email: https://ico.org.uk/concerns/handling/

We welcome feedback and complaints, and we want to understand your experience in your own words.

We are committed to handling complaints fairly, openly and compassionately, in line with the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s NHS Complaint Standards.

Some people choose to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to help write complaints or emails. We understand that these tools can be helpful in organising thoughts or expressing concerns.

However, AI-generated text can sometimes:

• include information that is inaccurate or not relevant;
• use overly formal or legal language;
• make complaints longer or more complex than necessary; or
• make it harder for us to clearly understand your personal experience.

This can occasionally delay our review or mean we need to contact you to clarify the details before we can respond fully.

The most helpful complaints are usually clear and concise, and explain:

• what happened;
• when it happened;
• how it affected you; and
• what you would like us to do to resolve the matter.

A short explanation in your own words is often more helpful than a long or highly formal letter.

If you choose to use AI tools, we recommend that you:

• check the wording carefully to ensure it reflects your own experience;
• remove any information that is inaccurate or not relevant; and
• take care when including sensitive personal information.

Please be aware that some AI tools may store or use information entered into them.

For further guidance on using AI to support a complaint, you may find this resource from the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman helpful:
Using AI tools to help your complaint

If you need support to make a complaint—for example due to language needs, disability, 
learning disability, or mental health or communication difficulties—please let us know. We 
will do our best to support you in a way that works for you