Document owner	Dr Mazhar Hussain, Responsible Clinician
Service	Revivo Health online functional medicine service
Version	1.0
Date of issue	28 May 2026
Review date	27 May 2027

Part A - Patient-Facing Complaints Policy

Revivo Health is committed to providing safe, high-quality care. We take all concerns and complaints seriously.

Telling us when something has gone wrong helps us put it right for you and improve our service for others.

You will not be treated differently or disadvantaged in your care as a result of making a complaint.

How to make a complaint

You can raise a concern in any of the following ways:

Please include your name, the best way to contact you, and a description of what happened, including relevant dates where possible.

If you are complaining on behalf of someone else, we will need their written consent before we can share information with you.

Time limits

We ask that you raise your complaint as soon as possible - normally within 12 months of the event, or within 12 months of becoming aware of the issue.

What will happen next

1. We will acknowledge your complaint within 4 working days.
2. We will look into your concerns carefully and fairly, speaking with the people involved and reviewing your records where relevant.

3. We will send you a full written response within 20 working days. If we need longer, we will tell you why and give you a revised timeframe, keeping you updated.
4. Our response will explain what we found, what we have done or plan to do, and an apology where appropriate.

Duty of candour

If something has gone wrong with your care that caused, or could have caused, harm, we will tell you promptly and honestly, explain what happened, and apologise. This is our professional duty of candour.

If you are not satisfied

If you are unhappy with our response, please let us know and we will see whether there is anything further we can do, including offering a review of your complaint.

You also have the right to raise your concern with an external body. Depending on the nature of your complaint, these may include:

• The General Medical Council (GMC) for concerns about a doctor's fitness to practise: www.gmc-uk.org
• The Care Quality Commission (CQC) - for concerns about the quality and safety of the service (England): www.cqc.org.uk
• Your relevant data protection authority (e.g. the ICO) for concerns about how your data has been handled.

Your privacy

Any information you share as part of a complaint will be handled confidentially and in line with data protection law.

Complaint records are kept separately from your clinical record.

Part B - Internal Complaints Procedure

This procedure sets out how Revivo Health receives, investigates, responds to, and learns from complaints.

It supports compliance with GMC Good Medical Practice (2024) and, where applicable, CQC Regulation 16 (Receiving and acting on complaints).

Scope and definitions

A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction, whether spoken or written, that requires a response.

A concern is a lower-level issue that can often be resolved immediately. Both should be logged.

This procedure applies to all staff and contractors of Revivo Health.

Roles and responsibilities

• Responsible Clinician (Dr Mazhar Hussain): holds overall accountability for the complaints process and clinical oversight; signs off formal written responses; ensures duty of candour is met.
• Complaints Lead: first point of contact; acknowledges, logs, coordinates investigation, and tracks timelines. [May be the same person in a small service.]
• All staff: must recognise and pass on complaints promptly and never attempt to discourage a patient from complaining.

Timeframes and ownership

The following timeframes apply from the date a complaint is received:

Stage	Timeframe	Responsible
Acknowledgement	Within 3 working days of receipt	Complaints Lead
Investigation begins	Within 5 working days	Complaints Lead / Clinical Lead
Full written response	Within 20 working days	Responsible Clinician
If delay is unavoidable	Interim update at 20 working days, with revised timeframe	Complaints Lead
Escalation / external	On request or if unresolved	Responsible Clinician

Investigation process

5. Log the complaint in the complaints register on receipt, with a unique reference.
6. Acknowledge in writing within 3 working days, setting out how the complaint will be handled and the expected timeframe.
7. Establish the facts: review the clinical record and consultation notes, gather statements from those involved, and identify whether a notifiable safety incident has occurred.
8. Assess against relevant standards and determine whether the complaint is upheld, partly upheld, or not upheld.
9. Apply the duty of candour where harm occurred or could have occurred: a verbal apology and explanation, followed by written confirmation.
10. Prepare a clear, plain-English written response addressing each point raised, the outcome, actions taken, and the right to escalate.
11. Responsible Clinician reviews and approves the response before it is sent.

Online-service specific considerations

Because Revivo Health delivers care remotely, investigations should give particular attention to:

• Identity verification and whether the correct patient record was used.
• Adequacy of the remote assessment and whether safety-netting and escalation advice were given and documented.
• Continuity of care and communication with the patient's GP or other providers, with consent.
• Data protection and secure handling of information across platforms and jurisdictions.
• Prescribing safety where relevant, including identity, indication, and follow-up.

Recording and learning

All complaints are recorded in a central complaints log capturing: reference, date received, summary, category, outcome, response date, actions taken, and lessons learned.

The log is reviewed at least quarterly to identify themes and trends.

Learning is fed into service improvement, and significant issues are discussed and documented for appraisal and clinical governance purposes.

Confidentiality and records

Complaint files are stored securely and separately from clinical records, with access limited to those involved in handling the complaint.

Records are retained in line with the service's data retention policy and applicable law.

Review

This policy will be reviewed every 12 months, or sooner if regulation, guidance, or service arrangements change.