Complaints Policy & Procedure

Commitment to High-Quality Care

Secret Aesthetics is committed to providing high-quality, safe, and professional care. We take all concerns and complaints seriously and view them as an opportunity to learn, improve, and enhance the services we provide.

We operate a complaints procedure based on CQC guidelines, meeting national standards. If you need assistance with making a complaint, Secret Aesthetics will support you through the process. You will not be treated unfairly or differently for raising a concern or complaint.

How to Raise a Complaint

Complaints may be raised in person, by telephone, or in writing. Where possible, we encourage concerns to be raised as soon as they arise, as many issues can be resolved promptly and informally.

Formal complaints requiring management review or investigation should be submitted in writing to: info@secretaesthetics.co.uk

Please include:

Your full name and contact details
Date(s) of treatment or appointment
Name of practitioner and/or relevant staff member(s) (if known)
A clear description of your concern
The outcome you are seeking (if applicable)

Submitting Complaints in Full

To enable a fair, thorough, and timely investigation, we ask that complaints are submitted in full at the outset. Complaints will be reviewed and responded to based on the information provided at the time of submission.

Secret Aesthetics reserves the right to set reasonable limits on the scope and duration of a complaint where it becomes repetitive, unreasonably prolonged, or where the matters raised have already been fully investigated and addressed.

Stage 1 – Local Resolution

Upon receipt of a written complaint, the Clinic Manager will acknowledge the complaint in writing within three (3) working days.

An investigation may include:

Reviewing medical records
Speaking with the practitioner(s) / staff member(s) involved
Reviewing clinic policies, consent forms, and relevant documentation

A written response will normally be provided within twenty-eight (28) days of acknowledgement. If the investigation is complex or requires additional time, you will be kept informed of progress and advised of any revised timescales.

Where appropriate, a resolution may include:

An explanation or apology
Clarification of care provided
Remedial action or learning outcomes

Stage 2 – Escalation

If you are not satisfied with the outcome of Stage 1, you may request escalation of your complaint for further review.

Escalated complaints will be reviewed by Senior Management and the Registered Manager / Clinical Lead, particularly where the complaint relates to clinical care or treatment decisions. A full and final written response will normally be provided within twenty (20) working days of escalation. Where further investigation is required, updates will be provided at least every twenty (20) working days.

Complaint Time Limits

Complaints should normally be raised within six (6) months of the incident or concern.
Where there is a valid reason for delay, complaints may be considered up to twelve (12) months, provided a fair and effective investigation remains possible.

We will also monitor complaints for duration and complexity. If a complaint is prolonged, repeatedly revisited, or continues to expand in scope without new evidence, we may set reasonable limits to ensure a timely resolution.

Confidentiality & Records

All complaints are handled sensitively and confidentially. Records of complaints, investigations, and outcomes are maintained in accordance with CQC requirements and data protection legislation. To assist with this, we ask you to only use our secure email address info@secretaesthetics.co.uk for correspondence and not social media messaging platforms.

Abusive or Threatening Behaviour

Secret Aesthetics is committed to handling all complaints fairly and professionally.

In cases where patients make threats to publicly damage the clinic’s reputation (e.g., via social media or online reviews) or use legal threats to seek a particular outcome:

We will continue to investigate the complaint based on the facts provided.
We reserve the right to manage communication and interactions in a way that protects staff and ensures a safe, constructive process.
Repeated abusive or threatening behaviour may lead to reasonable limits being placed on communication while the complaint is being investigated.

Independent Support

If you require assistance in making a complaint, Secret Aesthetics will provide reasonable support where possible.

Learning & Improvement

Outcomes from complaints are reviewed as part of the clinic’s governance processes to identify learning points, implement improvements, and enhance patient safety and experience.

Complaints Policy & Procedure