Finding the right route for the right complaint
When a patient complains, it isn’t always immediately obvious where that complaint might lead.
Can it be resolved within the practice? Could mediation help? Does it raise an insurance issue? Or is it a matter for the General Chiropractic Council?
CCMS does not replace any of those established routes. It provides an additional option for complaints that may be capable of resolution through mediation.
Start locally
In most circumstances, a patient should first raise their concerns with the chiropractor or practice and allow them an opportunity to respond.
CCMS will usually check whether this has happened and whether the practice complaints process has been followed, although there can be circumstances where further direct contact is not appropriate or workable.
Many complaints will be resolved at this stage. But sometimes the process reaches an impasse. The practice believes it has done everything it reasonably can, while the patient remains dissatisfied.
That is where mediation may help.
Where does CCMS come in?
When a concern reaches CCMS, the team carries out an initial review to establish whether it is suitable for mediation.
If it is, CCMS can work with the patient and chiropractor to explore the areas of disagreement and possible ways forward. If it isn’t suitable, the parties can be signposted towards a more appropriate route.
What about Fitness to Practise?
There is an important boundary.
CCMS is not an alternative to regulatory action where a complaint raises serious concerns about Fitness to Practise or public protection.
Similarly, mediation should not replace notification to an insurer where this is required under a practitioner’s professional indemnity arrangements.
Another option for resolving complaints
Perhaps the simplest way to think about CCMS is as another tool within the complaints pathway.
Some concerns can be resolved directly between a patient and practice. Others may become stuck and benefit from independent mediation. More serious matters may need to follow regulatory, insurance or legal routes.
The important thing is getting the right complaint into the right process.