We welcome feedback from everyone who uses our services, whether it’s a compliment, a suggestion or a complaint. We take complaints seriously and investigate them. Where there are lessons to learn, we use them to improve our care.
Many concerns can be sorted out quickly and informally. A conversation with the right member of staff may be all it takes to put things right, so we suggest you speak to staff before making a formal complaint.
You can also complain directly to our regulator, Healthcare Improvement Scotland, at any time. You don’t have to go through our process first. Contact details are at the bottom of this page.
How to make a complaint
Stage 1: Speak to us
If you’re currently in treatment at Castle Craig
Speak to any member of staff or your Unit Lead. If you’d rather not, or you’re unhappy with how they dealt with your concern, you can go straight to the Clinical Operations Manager, in person or in writing.
If you’re not staying at Castle Craig
This includes former patients, family members and anyone else with a concern about Castle Craig. Call us on 01721 546 471 and ask to speak to the Clinical Operations Manager, or email [email protected], and we’ll look into it. Many concerns can be put right quickly this way, without the need for a formal complaint.
It helps to note when you raised your concern, who you spoke to and how it was dealt with. You’ll need this if you take the matter further.
Stage 2: Make a formal complaint
Write to the Clinical Operations Manager at [email protected]. Please tell us:
- who or what your complaint is about (if it’s about a member of staff, give their name and job title if you know them)
- where and when it happened
- anything you’ve already done about it
- what you’d like to happen as a result
We will:
- acknowledge your complaint within 3 working days
- deal with every point you raise
- send you a full written response within 20 working days
Our response will tell you how we investigated, what we found, whether your complaint was upheld or partly upheld, and what we will do next. We keep a record of every complaint, and the outcome is reviewed at the Hospital Governance meeting.
Stage 3: Independent review
If you’re not happy with the outcome of Stage 2, or you don’t want us to investigate your complaint, you can ask for an independent review or external adjudication. You can contact:
- Healthcare Improvement Scotland, our regulator
- the Independent Sector Complaints Adjudication Service (ISCAS), of which Castle Craig is a member
Their details are below.
Frequently asked questions about our complaints procedure
-
Is there a time limit?
We usually investigate complaints about things that happened in the last 12 months. You can still complain about something older, but it may be harder for us to investigate fully.
-
Can someone complain on my behalf?
Yes. If you feel anxious or can’t make a complaint yourself, a relative or friend can do it for you. We’ll need your written, signed consent for them to act on your behalf.
Please be aware that giving consent means this person may see your patient care record. You are giving up your right to confidentiality of your treatment and medical record, because we may need to share it with them.
You can also complain about how a friend or relative was treated. You’ll need their signed consent in writing.
-
Will my complaint be kept confidential?
Yes. We protect your data at all times. If someone complains on behalf of a patient, we make sure the patient has agreed to their personal information being shared as part of the complaint, in line with data protection law (GDPR). If the patient hasn’t agreed, we’ll take this into account, but it is likely to limit how far we can investigate.
-
What if I’m not happy with how my complaint was handled?
You can ask for an independent review or external adjudication through Healthcare Improvement Scotland or ISCAS (see Stage 3 above). You can also contact Healthcare Improvement Scotland at any stage.
Useful contacts
| Who | Address | Phone | |
| Castle Craig (Clinical Operations Manager) | Castle Craig Hospital, West Linton EH46 7DH | [email protected] | |
| Healthcare Improvement Scotland | Programme Manager, Independent Healthcare Services Team, Gyle Square, 1 South Gyle Crescent, Edinburgh EH12 9EB | [email protected] Making a complaint to HIS | |
| Independent Sector Complaints Adjudication Service (ISCAS) | 70 Fleet Street, London EC4Y 1EU | 020 7536 6091 | [email protected] |
| Borders Independent Advocacy Service | Low Buckholmside, Galashiels TD1 1RT | 01896 752200 | [email protected] |
You can complain to Healthcare Improvement Scotland in any way that suits you: by email, by letter, or in person at their office or during an inspection.
Download our leaflet
All of this information is also in our Complaints and Feedback Leaflet (PDF), which you can download and print.