Records and Privacy
- The complaints manager maintains a complaints and patient feedback register (e.g. Save Face portfolio), with records of informal feedback (Suggestions for improvement and patient feedback forms) and formal complaints.
- All interactions with the complainant, including verbal, are documented in the patient record.
- Personal information in individual complaints is kept confidential and is only made available to those who need it to deal with the complaint.
- Complainants are given notice about how their personal information is likely to be used during the investigation of a complaint.
- Individual complaints files are kept in a secure filing cabinet in the [complaints manager]’s office and in a restricted access section of the computer system’s file server.
- Patients are provided with access to their medical records [in accordance with the confidentiality policy]. Others requesting access to a patients’ medical records as part of resolving a complaint are provided with access only if the patient has provided authorisation [in accordance with the confidentiality policy].