Patient feedback and complaints
Complaints Policy
Harley Street Hair Transplants is committed to treating patients respectfully, communicating clearly and responding properly when concerns are raised. This policy explains how patients, visitors or representatives can make a complaint and how concerns are reviewed fairly and confidentially.
1. Purpose of this policy
The purpose of this policy is to explain how complaints can be raised, how they will be handled, and what patients can expect from Harley Street Hair Transplants when a concern is reported.
We welcome feedback because it helps identify where communication, care, aftercare, administration or patient experience can be improved.
2. Who can make a complaint?
You can complain if you are:
- a current patient;
- a past patient;
- someone who has attended a consultation;
- a person enquiring about treatment;
- a representative acting with the patient’s permission.
Complaints by representatives
If someone complains on behalf of a patient, we may need written permission from the patient before discussing personal information, clinical details or treatment records.
This protects confidentiality and ensures information is only shared appropriately.
3. What can a complaint be about?
Complaints may relate to any part of the patient journey, including initial enquiry, consultation, procedure planning, surgery, aftercare, communication, billing or the way a concern has been handled.
Clinical or treatment concerns
- consultation or assessment experience;
- treatment planning or suitability discussion;
- consent, risks or expectations;
- procedure-day experience;
- aftercare advice or follow-up;
- concerns about healing, shedding or outcome.
Service or communication concerns
- delays in response;
- appointment handling;
- staff conduct;
- billing or payment communication;
- website, advertising or information concerns;
- privacy or confidentiality concerns.
4. How to make a complaint
Complaints should ideally be made in writing so there is a clear record of the concern. Email is usually the fastest and clearest route.
Complaints contact details
Email: info@harleystreethairtransplants.org
Phone: 02080881333
Post: Harley Street Hair Transplants, 22a Harley Street, London W1G 9PF
What to include
- your full name and contact details;
- the date of consultation, procedure or contact;
- what happened and why you are unhappy;
- names of staff involved, if known;
- supporting documents, photos, emails or messages;
- what outcome you are seeking.
5. How we handle complaints
We aim to handle complaints fairly, confidentially and without judgement. A complaint should not affect a patient’s right to receive appropriate follow-up or aftercare.
| Stage | What happens | Typical aim |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Acknowledgement | We record the complaint and confirm it has been received. | We aim to acknowledge receipt within 3 working days. |
| 2. Review | We review the concern, relevant records, correspondence and staff information where appropriate. | We may contact you for further details. |
| 3. Investigation | We consider what happened, whether anything went wrong and whether action is required. | Handled as promptly and fairly as possible. |
| 4. Response | We provide a response explaining the outcome, findings and any proposed next steps. | We aim to respond within 20 working days where possible. |
| 5. Further update | If the complaint is complex and more time is needed, we aim to explain the reason for any delay. | You should not be left without an update. |
6. Confidentiality
Complaints are handled confidentially and shared only with people who need to review, investigate or respond to the concern.
We may need to check relevant information such as appointment records, consultation notes, treatment records, photographs, messages, aftercare notes or payment records to understand what happened.
If a complaint involves another person’s personal information, we will take care to protect confidentiality and may not be able to disclose all details.
7. Complaints about clinical outcome
Hair restoration outcomes vary between patients. Redness, swelling, scabbing, shedding, temporary shock loss and a slow growth timeline can occur after treatment. A concern about your result will still be reviewed, but it may need to be considered against your treatment date, healing stage, graft plan and expected timeline.
Useful recovery topics
- aftercare instructions;
- shedding and shock loss;
- hair transplant growth timeline;
- donor-area healing;
- follow-up review.
If your concern relates to healing
Include your treatment date, symptoms, photographs in good lighting, any medication used and any aftercare advice you have already followed.
8. Learning from complaints
Complaints can help identify improvements in patient information, communication, consent, aftercare, appointment handling, staff training or website content.
Where appropriate, we may use complaint outcomes to review internal processes and reduce the chance of similar concerns happening again.
9. If you are not satisfied with our response
We will try to resolve complaints directly and fairly. If you remain dissatisfied after receiving our response, you may be able to seek further advice or raise your concern with an appropriate external body depending on the nature of the complaint.
Care Quality Commission
The CQC explains that if you have experienced or seen poor care, you have a right to complain to the organisation that provided the care. It also states that health and social care services must have complaints procedures. 1
General Medical Council
If your concern relates to a doctor’s professional conduct or fitness to practise, the GMC provides information on raising concerns about doctors. 2
Policy contact details
Version control
Policy name: Complaints Policy
Clinic: Harley Street Hair Transplants
Review: This policy should be reviewed periodically and updated when clinic processes, contact details or regulatory guidance changes.
External guidance: CQC complaints information · GMC concerns
