Including Our Complaints Procedure

We want to hear from you whether you have compliments about your experience with us or whether you are dissatisfied with the service you received. If the way we dealt with you did not meet your expectations, we would encourage you, wherever possible, to raise concerns directly with the member of staff you have been dealing with, or with their manager. In the first instance at least. Direct communication will give both parties a chance to better explain themselves to gain clarity. 

What we promise

We treat all contacts professionally, with respect, courtesy, efficiency, fairness, and confidentiality, and expect the same in return. Our goal is to ensure you feel heard and your queries are answered; if not, we’ll guide you elsewhere or explain why we couldn’t assist. We aim to reply to letters within 5 working days and emails within 2 days; if a full response isn’t possible, we’ll inform you of the expected timeline and keep you updated.

What we expect from our customers

We request that all interactions with our team are conducted respectfully and courteously—by phone or in person. Should a caller or client engage in inappropriate conduct, we will address the issue directly. Unacceptable behaviours include the use of profanity, raised voices, personal insults, as well as sexist, racist, or otherwise discriminatory remarks.

If such behaviour persists after being cautioned, we will terminate the call, ask you to leave the practice, or leave the facility (as appropriate for the type of visit), cancelling all future appointments for you or your animal.

If we have your email, we will then provide an explanation for our actions, by email, and invite the person to correspond with us in writing. Future communication will be limited exclusively to written correspondence via letter or email for the safety of our Team and to ensure a paper trail of events. 

In cases where something goes wrong

We strive to deliver an effective and efficient service at all times, yet we acknowledge that there may be moments when we do not meet our own standards or the expectations of others. Our commitment is to respond promptly and thoroughly to feedback and complaints regarding our service. By investigating what occurred and identifying any issues, we aim to learn from each experience and enhance how we handle similar situations in the future.

If you have a complaint or concern about our service, please let us know as soon as possible, so we can review the problem and find resolution. We want nothing more than to keep you safe and feeling valued. 

If you have more of a concern or future recommendation, than a serious complaint, please send us an email (contact@newforestanimalosteopathy.com) outlining your concern—with clarity around the incidence that led you to feel the need to raise concern. The more we understand, the quicker we can resolve the matter.

We will acknowledge receipt as soon as we see your email in our inbox and will reply to you fully within 14 days. If you do not hear from us, please assume your email has gone astray and resend – and let us know by phone if appropriate. 

If You Have a Complaint

If our service has fallen short in some way and you have a complaint, please send full details of your complaint and we will treat it seriously, deal with it promptly and learn from it by reviewing or, if appropriate, improving our processes and standards. 

Make your complaint via email so all facts and any evidence are documented and accessible (contact@newforestanimalosteopathy.com)

We will investigate your complaint fully during the following 14 days and will aim to:

1. Find out what happened and what went wrong

2. Make sure you receive an explanation and an apology if this is appropriate 

3. Identify what I can do to ensure that this problem does not arise again 

What if I’m not happy with the outcome of my complaint at a local level and want to take it further?

There are no Statutory Regulations for Animal Osteopathy in the UK. As such, there is no “governing body” to which a person can complain. However, if your complaint is human treatment related, and, where all other attempts to find resolution have failed, you could use the following procedure.

If you cannot resolve your complaint locally, you are concerned about your safety and wish to instigate a formal complaint with our regulatory body, the General Osteopathic Council can be contacted via their Raise a Concern process: 

Phone: 020 7357 6655 x224

Email: regulation@osteopathy.org.uk

Online form: Raise a concern – General Osteopathic Council 

Please note that the General Osteopathic Council cannot award compensation and plays no part in the regulation of animal care in the UK.

New Forest Animal Osteopathy is a subsiduary of Herdwick & Goose Limited. No part of this site may be reproduced in any form. Registered company number: 11618342