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

Complaints procedure

90.—(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 91 to 94 and 96;

(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 Local Health Board 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(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 section 12 of the Health and Social Care Act 2001 (c. 18).