Introduction

Challenges like medicines shortages, workforce issues and the need to grapple with new working practices may all contribute to a rise in complaints to the GPhC. Fortunately, few complaints reach that point and most can be resolved quickly; some may even hold lessons that can lead to improved service.

Complaints are inevitable; how you deal with them isn’t

Businesses live or die by their reputations. You may not always be able to prevent poor customer or patient experiences – medicines shortages, for instance, are an increasingly common factor – but by handling complaints quickly and effectively, it is possible to salvage negative situations.

Complaints management can be seen as both time consuming and frustrating, but badly handled complaints can have far-reaching consequences. If one person is complaining, others may be dissatisfied, but rather than complain, they may simply go elsewhere.

Therefore, you should not ignore or dismiss complaints. Doing so sends the message to customers that you don’t value their opinion. On the other hand, engaging with the complaint head on can lead to improved customer satisfaction. 

Complaints can help you to identify areas for improvement – an important part of overall clinical governance.

Working out where potential complaints might come from will help you to prevent them. They may come from the overall patient experience in the pharmacy, the product purchased, how a prescription is processed or how a service is provided.