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GOS complaints reporting window opens for England

Contractors in England should submit information to the NHS Business Services Authority portal by 16 June

1 min read 1
woman talking on a mobile phone. She is holding the phone up to her ear and in the other hand she is holding a piece of paper.
Getty/damircudic
Emily McCormick

Emily McCormick

22 May 2024

The window within which contractors in England should submit information relating to written General Ophthalmic Services (GOS) complaints they have received during the 2022–2023 and the 2023–2024 financial years is now open.

Contractors were emailed by the NHS Business Services Authority in April informing them that the portal for submitting the complaints information would be open from 20 May to 16 June.

In the letter, signed by the Service’s Provider Assurance Ophthalmic team, contractors were reminded that submitting this information is a contractual requirement of all GOS contract holders in England.

Responses will be collated and shared with the commissioner, the letter stated.

More information can be found on the NHS Business Services Authority website, where contractors can also submit the required information.

Practitioners with questions about the process can email the Service’s provider assurance team.

Henry’s tips on managing complaints in practice

Advising on dealing with complaints in practice, optometrist and AOP head of clinical and regulatory, Henry Leonard, told OT: “All optometry practices should have a complaint handling policy, which sets out how they will respond when a concern is raised.”

“Whether you are a practice owner, or an employed or locum practitioner, you should contact the AOP for advice as soon as possible following a complaint,” he emphasised.

Here are Henry’s three tips for dealing with a complaint:

  1. Don’t panic. Most practitioners will receive a complaint at some point in their career, and it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve done anything wrong. The vast majority of complaints are dealt with at a local level, and do not escalate to an investigatory body
  2. If you’ve made a mistake, don’t try to cover it up. Investigatory bodies understand that all practitioners make mistakes from time to time, and provided they have reflected appropriately and taken steps to ensure any shortcomings have been addressed, these matters rarely result in a severe sanction, such as erasure. However, if practitioners have tried to cover up a mistake, there are likely to be allegations of dishonesty, which can be extremely difficult to remediate
  3. Contact the AOP for advice as soon as you can. We’re here to support and assist you, and you’ll probably feel a lot better once you’ve spoken to us.

More advice on dealing with complaints can be found on the AOP website.

Comments (1)

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  • hilaryandmichael22 May 2024

    I assume that the numbers of complaints against various companies will be published for all to see-the large ones in particular.
    Patients/customers/clients are best served by happy and unpressurised staff who in turn treat customers in a reciprocal way. However a sword of damocles hanging over staff heads is not a recipe for good customer relations and subsequent complaints.
    Would be very interested to see the companies with the worst reputation for complaints(andI bet we all know who that will be) or will the GOS censure that information to avoid litigation against themselves. We live in interesting times

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