Patient information
Your Feedback Matters
Comments, compliments, concerns and complaints procedure
Avenues Fertility · HFEA-licensed fertility clinic · London & Cambridge
Every patient voice matters
At Avenues Fertility, we are committed to providing safe, compassionate and high-quality fertility care. We recognise that fertility treatment can be an emotional and deeply personal journey, and that there may be times when you want to tell us about your experience – good or bad.
This guide explains how to share feedback, how to make a complaint, what happens next and where to go if you are still unhappy.
Your feedback helps us to
- recognise excellent care and the people who provide it
- understand your experience of our services
- identify opportunities to improve quality and safety
- strengthen our services for current and future patients
In this guide
- How to share feedback or raise a concern
- Making a formal complaint and what happens next
- If you are still unhappy, including the HFEA
- Questions and our commitment to you
Feedback & compliments
Formal complaints
Sharing your feedback
How can I share feedback?
Compliments
If a member of our team has made a positive difference to your experience, we would love to hear about it. Compliments help us recognise and celebrate excellent patient care.
Comments & suggestions
If you have an idea, observation or suggestion that could improve our service, please share it with us. Your perspective can help shape how our services develop.
Concerns
If something has not gone as expected, please tell us. Many concerns can be clarified or resolved quickly by speaking with a member of our team.
Formal complaints
If you are unhappy with any aspect of your care or our service and would like us to carry out a formal investigation, please make a complaint. Every complaint is taken seriously and considered fairly, objectively and respectfully.
Raising a concern in person
If you would like to speak to someone about any aspect of your care, please do so as soon as possible – ideally before you leave the clinic. Any member of our team will listen and make every effort to resolve your concern there and then.
If your concern is not resolved to your satisfaction, the team will explain how to make a formal complaint and support you to do so.
How do I contact you?
Comments, compliments & suggestions
Formal complaints
Need help or a different format?
If you are unable to put your complaint in writing, need this information in another format, have communication or accessibility needs, or would like support to raise a concern, please let any member of our team know. We will discuss alternative ways of supporting you and will do our best to make the process accessible to you.
Making a formal complaint
Making a formal complaint
Formal complaints should be made in writing and addressed to the Quality Manager, by email to complaints@avenues.life. Please describe your complaint as fully as you can, including:
What you are unhappy about
When the incident took place
Which members of staff were present at the time
What you would like us to do to put things right
Your complaint journey
1
You raise your complaint
Day one
Put your complaint in writing, addressed to the Quality Manager, by email to complaints@avenues.life. If you are unable to put your complaint in writing, please let a member of our team know and we will support you.
2
We acknowledge
Within 3 working days
We will acknowledge your complaint within three working days. We will explain the process and let you know who will be managing your complaint.
3
We investigate
Ongoing
A Complaint Investigator will look into the issues you have raised. Depending on your concerns, this may include reviewing records, correspondence and documentation and speaking with the members of the team involved in your care. We may contact you for further information, and we will offer to meet with you to help resolve the issue(s).
4
We respond
Within 20 working days
You will receive a full written response within twenty (20) working days of us receiving your complaint.
5
We learn
Afterwards
Our aim is not only to respond to your individual concerns, but to understand what happened. Following an investigation, we will consider making changes to our service to improve care for all patients.
20 working days
Full written response from the date we receive your complaint.
If we need more time
If a full response cannot be given within 20 working days, we will write to you to explain the reason for the delay and agree a further timescale with you. You will then receive a full written response within five (5) working days of a conclusion being reached.
If you remain dissatisfied
If you are still unhappy
A
Tell us first
If, after receiving our response, you feel we have misunderstood your concerns, or you have new information you would like us to consider, please let us know. We will review it carefully and explain the options available to you.
B
Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA)
The HFEA is the independent regulator that licenses and inspects Avenues as a fertility treatment provider in England. If you are still unhappy with the outcome of your complaint, you may contact the HFEA.
- Please complete our complaints process first – the HFEA can only consider a complaint once we have responded.
- Contact them normally within six months of becoming aware of the problem, including your complaint, our correspondence and why you remain dissatisfied.
- The HFEA does not investigate or resolve individual complaints, but uses patient feedback to inform its inspections of clinics.
Frequently asked questions
Will making a complaint affect my care?
No. Raising a concern, making a complaint or giving feedback will not adversely affect the care or treatment you receive from Avenues.
Can someone complain on my behalf?
Yes. A partner, family member or other representative may raise concerns for you. To protect your confidentiality, we may ask for your permission first.
Will my complaint be kept confidential?
Yes. All complaints are handled confidentially, and only those who need to be involved in the investigation will see the details.
Do you only want to hear about problems?
Absolutely not. Compliments help us recognise excellent care, and suggestions highlight ways to make our services even better.
Our commitment to you
- treat you with courtesy, empathy and respect
- listen carefully to what matters to you
- consider your concerns fairly and objectively
- keep you informed throughout
- protect your confidentiality
- learn from your feedback and improve
Thank you for helping us improve
Every piece of feedback helps make Avenues a better place for current and future patients.