At Optical Express we strive to provide our patients with the best service possible, and your feedback allows us to address any concerns that you may have and improve our service. If you are unhappy with any part of our service please let us know.
How to complain
You can speak with a member of staff involved in your care. If you do this, we can try to resolve your complaint there and then.
If you do not want to speak to the staff involved in your care, you can ask to speak to the Clinic Manager. Alternatively, you can write to the Clinic Manager. You will find the Clinic Manager’s details on a poster displayed within the clinic or you can ask a member of staff for the details.
If you are still unhappy, or if you wish to escalate your complaint, the contact details are:
Clinical Services Optical Express
200 St Vincent Street
Glasgow
G2 5SG
Email: clinicalservices@opticalexpress.com
Tel: 0141 222 3933
To allow us to fully investigate your complaint, please include:
If you agree to someone making the complaint on your behalf, it is important that you know that we will need to ask for your permission for us to deal with that person.
If you would like advice on making a complaint you can contact your local Citizens Advice Bureau.
What happens after I have complained?
If you have spoken with a staff member involved in your care or the Clinic Manager, it is possible that they will be able to resolve your complaint straight away. However, they have require to make enquiries before they can respond to your complaint and if that is the case they will keep you updated on this.
If we cannot resolve your complaint at this stage, we may suggest that you escalate your complaint to our central team, or our Clinic staff may do this for you. Once escalated to our central team, your complaint will be acknowledged within three working days (Monday to Friday) either by letter or email.
We will investigate your complaint and will aim to reply to you within 20 working days. We may contact you for more information or to discuss your complaint during this time.
In some cases, we may need more time to investigate your complaint and reply to you. If that is the case, we will let you know and provide a timeframe within which you can expect to receive a response from us.
Confidentiality
Staff involved in the investigation of your complaint may have access to your health records to enable them to fully investigate the matter. If you consent to someone complaining on your behalf you should be aware that your personal health information may be disclosed to that person.
If your complaint relates to your finance agreement
If your complaint relates to the finance linked to your purchase you can still let us know about this, but we will forward it on to your credit provider (either Novuna or V12). The credit provider will acknowledge your complaint and will acknowledge your complaint and investigate it thoroughly and issue their response within eight weeks.
If you are not satisfied with either credit providers’ response (Novuna or V12) to your complaint relating to the finance agreement, you may be able to refer the matter to the Financial Ombudsman Service. You must contact them within six months of the date of the credit providers’ final response letter to you.
They can be contacted in the following ways:
Further details can be found on the Financial Ombudsman Service
Website: www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk
How to complain in England
What if I am not happy with the response that I receive to my complaint?
If you are not happy with the response that you receive, you can ask for your complaint to be independently reviewed within Optical Express. This review will normally be handled by the Clinical Services Director or the Patient Care Manager, depending on the nature of your complaint.
If an independent review has been carried out and you are still unhappy with the response, you can refer your complaint to an independent body.
If your complaint relates to NHS services that you have received at Optical Express, you can contact either Optical Express directly or your Integrated Care Board (ICB). The ICB contact details are different for each region in England. To find your ICB’s contact details go to the below website or speak to your Optical Express team who will be happy to help you find the correct ICB:
Please register your NHS complaint through your integrated Care Board (ICB)
www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/find-your-local-integrated-care-board/
If your complaint relates to NHS services that you have received at Optical Express, you can contact the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
The contact details for the CQC are:
Care Quality Commission
City Gate, Gallow Gate,
Newcastle Upon Tyne
NE1 4PA
Tel : 0300 0616 161
If your complaint relates to private services that you have received at Optical Express, you can contact the Optical Consumer Complaints Service (OCCS). The OCCS ask that you complete a complaint form which can be found on their website at www.opticalcomplaints.co.uk The contact details for the OCCS are:
Optical Consumer Complaints Service
6 Market Square
Bishop’s Stortford
Hertfordshire
CM23 3UZ
Email: enquiries@opticalcomplaints.co.uk
Tel: 0344 800 5071
You can also contact the General Medical Council, General Optical Council or the Care Quality Commission, depending on the nature of your complaint.
How to complain in Scotland
What if I am not happy with the response that I receive to my complaint?
If you are not happy with the response that you receive, you can ask for your complaint to be independently reviewed within Optical Express. This review will normally be handled by the Clinical Services Director or the Patient Care Manager, depending on the nature of your complaint.
If an independent review has been carried out and you are still unhappy with the response, you can refer your complaint to an independent body.
You can complain directly to Health Improvement Scotland (HIS) about the care you have received. The contact details for HIS are:
Healthcare Improvement Scotland
Gyle Square
1 South Gyle
Crescent
Edinburgh EH12 9EB
Email: his.ihcregulation@nhs.scot
If your complaint relates to private services that you have received at Optical Express, you can contact the Optical Consumer Complaints Service (OCCS). The OCCS ask that you complete a complaint form which can be found on their website at www.opticalcomplaints.co.uk The contact details for the OCCS are:
Optical Consumer Complaints Service
6 Market Square
Bishop’s Stortford
Hertfordshire
CM23 3UZ
Email: enquiries@opticalcomplaints.co.uk
Tel: 0344 800 5071
You can also contact the General Medical Council, General Optical Council or Healthcare Improvement Scotland, depending on the nature of your complaint.
How to complain in Northern Ireland
What if I am not happy with the response that I receive to my complaint?
If you are not happy with the response that you receive, you can ask for your complaint to be independently reviewed within Optical Express. This review will normally be handled by the Clinical Services Director or the Patient Care Manager, depending on the nature of your complaint.
If an independent review has been carried out and you are still unhappy with the response, you can refer your complaint to an independent body.
If your complaint relates to NHS services that you have received at Optical Express, you can contact the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority. The contact details for the RQIA are:
The Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority,
First Floor, James House
2-4 Cromac Avenue
Belfast
BT7 2JA
Tel: 0289 536 1111
If your complaint relates to private services that you have received at Optical Express, you can contact the Optical Consumer Complaints Service (OCCS). The OCCS ask that you complete a complaint form which can be found on their website at www.opticalcomplaints.co.uk The contact details for the OCCS are:
Optical Consumer Complaints Service
6 Market Square
Bishop’s Stortford
Hertfordshire
CM23 3UZ
Email: enquiries@opticalcomplaints.co.uk
Tel: 0344 800 5071
You can also contact the General Medical Council, General Optical Council or The Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority, depending on the nature of your complaint.
How to complain in Wales
What if I am not happy with the response that I receive to my complaint?
If you are not happy with the response that you receive, you can ask for your complaint to be independently reviewed within Optical Express. This review will normally be handled by the Clinical Services Director or the Patient Care Manager, depending on the nature of your complaint.
If an independent review has been carried out and you are still unhappy with the response, you can refer your complaint to an independent body.
If your complaint relates to NHS services that you have received at Optical Express, you can contact the Healthcare Inspectorate Wales. The contact details for the HIW are:
Healthcare Inspectorate Wales
Welsh Government
Rhydycar Business Park
Merthyr Tydfil
CF48 1UZ
Tel: 0300 062 8163
If your complaint relates to private services that you have received at Optical Express, you can contact the Optical Consumer Complaints Service (OCCS). The OCCS ask that you complete a complaint form which can be found on their website at www.opticalcomplaints.co.uk The contact details for the OCCS are:
Optical Consumer Complaints Service
6 Market Square
Bishop’s Stortford
Hertfordshire
CM23 3UZ
Email: enquiries@opticalcomplaints.co.uk
Tel: 0344 800 5071
You can also contact the General Medical Council, General Optical Council or the Healthcare Inspectorate Wales, depending on the nature of you complaint.