The National Health Service (General Medical Services Contracts) Regulations 2004

Complaints procedure

92.—(1) The contractor shall establish and operate a complaints procedure to deal with any complaints in relation to any matter reasonably connected with the provision of services under the contract which shall—

(a) until the coming into force of regulations in relation to complaints about general medical services made under section 113 of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003 (complaints about health care) comply with the requirements in paragraphs 93 to 96 and 98; and

(b) on the coming into force of such regulations, comply with those regulations.

(2) The contractor shall take reasonable steps to ensure that patients are aware of—

(a) the complaints procedure;

(b) the role of the Primary Care Trust and other bodies in relation to complaints about services under the contract; and

(c) their right to assistance with any complaint from independent advocacy services provided under section 19A of the Act (independent advocacy services)(1).

(3) The contractor shall take reasonable steps to ensure that the complaints procedure is accessible to all patients.

(1)

Section 19A was inserted by the Health and Social Care Act 2001 (c. 15), section 12.