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For over a year, the OCCS’ CET team, led by Clinical Consultant Richard Edwards, has been holding sessions titled ‘De-Terrorising the GOC’. The peer group-based event focuses on a variety of issues based around if a complaint is for the GOC or for the OCCS. The key objectives of the training event are:
- To increase understanding of registrants responsibilities around complaint management and 2016 Practice Standards
- To gain insights as to which complaints escalate to become regulatory issues and engagement in understanding acceptance criteria
- To understand GOC Acceptance Criteria
- To understand how to effectively manage complaints to avoid unnecessary escalation of an issue
- To create a simple framework /methodology to manage consumer complaints effectively at practice level
The session, which also outlines recent developments in (fitness to practise) FtP and the work to reduce the number of FtP cases going into GOC, starts with the why and what constitutes that a matter ought to be escalated to the GOC. During the session OCCS research formed the cornerstone to help attendees to understand the anxiety that practitioners may have around the issue and outlined the criteria as well as how to avoid unnecessary escalation. Key takeaways from OCCS research also showed that the majority of complaints that the OCCS meditate related to consumer issues, however, a number of clinical complaints do also arise. Since 2014, the top complaints referred to OCCS have been:
- Perceived error with Rx
- Outcome of laser eye surgery
- Dispensing
- Complaint handling
Following from examining the hierarchy of risk (the nature of complaints, in order of severity: regulatory, litigation or consumer complaints) and advice on how to handle complaints, the GOC’s acceptance policy for complaints and FtP was also examined before three case studies were used to prompt peer based learning and discussion.
Positive feedback received included that there was a ‘Good range of cases for discussion’, that the session was, ‘really insightful’ and ‘excellent lecture with clear and concise direction. Promoting to discuss all topics. Nothing could improve this lecture, it was excellent.’
For more information on the OCCS’ CET sessions, contact our team on 0344 800 5071or via enquiries@opticalcomplaints.co.uk.
