Health and Rehabilitation Centre

We understand things happen, and sometimes you’re unable to make an arranged appointment.

However, we ask that you give at least 24 hours’ notice to cancel your appointment, so we can offer your slot to someone else.

Missed or late cancellations may be charged 50% of the fee.

Please call 01604 893232 or email healthrehab@northampton.ac.uk if you need to cancel your appointment.

Yes, the centre is open all year round but certain services offered may not be, please look at the relevant service webpage.

The sports injury and rehabilitation centre will be CLOSED from Wednesday 13 May (last appointment day) and will reopen towards the end of September.

If your symptoms are severe, worsening, or you are concerned that you need urgent medical attention, please contact your GP, NHS 111, or attend urgent care/A&E as appropriate.

In an emergency, call 999.

We welcome feedback to ensure that we continue to improve our services and share your feedback widely within our team. You will be asked to provide feedback at the end of your treatment.

If you have would like to raise a complaint regarding any of our services, please contact us via our Complaints Form, select the service you would like your complaint to be directed to, and your concern will be sent to the relevant department as per policy upon completion of the form.

Complaints Policy and Procedure

The Health and Rehabilitation Centre at the University of Northampton recognises the importance of all those who engage with our services, including patients, students, workplace representatives, staff members, and external partners.

We are committed to delivering a high-quality service and positive experience for everyone who uses our facilities.

If something does not meet your expectations, we encourage you to let us know. Your feedback helps us address concerns, put things right where possible, and continuously improve our services.

We value all feedback and complaints and are committed to responding promptly, fairly, and professionally.

Procedure

This procedure applies to services delivered directly by the University of Northampton’s Health and Rehabilitation Centre. Where services are provided by independent practitioners operating within the Centre, their own complaints procedures will apply.

Informal Resolution

If you have a concern or complaint, we encourage you to raise it initially with the supervising clinician, where appropriate. They will make every effort to resolve the matter quickly, professionally, and at a local level.

Formal Complaint

If your concern cannot be resolved informally, or if you do not feel comfortable raising the issue directly with the clinician involved, you may submit a formal complaint.

Please provide full details of your concerns in writing and send them to:

Email: healthrehab@northampton.ac.uk

Post:
University of Northampton
Health and Rehabilitation Centre
Cliftonville Road
Northampton
NN1 5BF

Upon receipt, all complaints will be reviewed, logged and triaged by the Administration Team.

Complaints relating to clinical matters will be referred to the appropriate Clinical Lead.

Complaints relating to operational matters will be referred to the Faculty Manager.

What Happens Next?

The Administration Team will acknowledge receipt of your complaint by email or letter, normally within five working days.

You may be contacted if further information or clarification is required.

Your complaint will then be assigned to the appropriate investigator as noted above.

The investigator will conduct a thorough and impartial review of the complaint and prepare an investigation report outlining:

• Whether the complaint is upheld, partially upheld, or not upheld.
• Any actions taken in response to the complaint.
• Any lessons learned or improvements identified.

Following the investigation, the Administration Team will write to you with the outcome. A record of the complaint and response will also be retained within the relevant patient records.

We aim to complete our investigation and provide a full response within one calendar month of receiving your complaint.

Where appropriate, and, if resolution cannot be achieved through correspondence alone, we may invite you to attend a meeting to discuss the matter further.

This complaints procedure applies solely to members of the public accessing services within the Health and Rehabilitation Centre and operates independently of other University of Northampton complaints procedures.

Appeals

If you remain dissatisfied with the outcome of your complaint, you may submit an appeal to the Head of Subject. This constitutes the final stage of the Health and Rehabilitation Centre complaints process.

Confidentiality

We understand that raising a complaint can be stressful and sometimes sensitive. We ask all parties involved to respect and maintain confidentiality throughout the process until the matter has been fully concluded.

Complaints Relating to Independent Practitioners

Please note that some services delivered within the Health and Rehabilitation Centre are provided by independent practitioners operating under separate arrangements from the University of Northampton.

Any complaints relating to the treatment or services provided by an independent practitioner will be managed in accordance with that practitioner’s own complaints procedure and fall outside the University’s remit to investigate.

If the Health and Rehabilitation Centre receives a complaint relating to an independent practitioner:

• The complaint will be acknowledged and logged by the Administration Team.
• The complaint will be forwarded to the relevant practitioner for investigation and response under their complaints procedure.
• The University will maintain a record that the complaint was received and referred but will not undertake or oversee the investigation.
• Any further correspondence regarding the complaint should be directed to the independent practitioner concerned.

Complaints Relating to Data protection or for data protection guidance

The University has a separate data protection department. Complaints relating to data protection are to be directed to dpo@northampton.ac.uk or via post to the below address:

The Data Protection Office (DPO)
Vice Chancellor’s Office
Senate Building
Waterside Campus
University Drive
Northampton
NN1 5PH

Please also refer to the data protections complaints procedure.

The Podiatry Clinic (which is part of the University of Northampton) is the Data Controller for your information. The Data Protection Officer can be contacted by emailing dpo@northampton.ac.uk or by writing to: The Data Protection Officer, Vice Chancellor’s Office, Senate building, Waterside Campus, University of Northampton, NN1 5PH.

Purpose

We will be processing your personal data for the following purposes:

• Medical treatment
• Scientific research
• Marketing

Collection of your data

Once we have collected your personal details (such as, contact details, medical history and prescriptions), we will be processing them for medical treatment purposes and scientific research, with sufficient technical and procedural safeguards in place.

Lawful Bases

The lawful bases for the processing under UK GDPR are:

• the performance of a task carried out in the public interest (Art 6(1)(e)),
• preventive or occupational medicine, medical diagnosis, the provision of health care or treatment etc (Art 9(2)(h)), and
• scientific research (Art 9(2)(j))

We will ask you for explicit consent before processing your information for certain research projects where consent is required by law (e.g. Human Tissue Act, Medicines for Human Use (Clinical Trials) Regulations etc).

Sharing your data

Your data will be shared with:

• those involved at the University of Northampton in data processing (such as, the Podiatry Clinic staff, medical professionals);
• your GP or consultant for the continuity of health care, for the purposes identified above.
• with our Data Processor (Cozwecan/ James-Greyling) for the purposes of secure storage of your data, technical support and effective administration of the patient records.
• We might process your information to comply with law;
• With competent authorities (such as, police) where there is substantial public interest in processing this information.

Data Retention

The retention period for health records is:

• Up to 10 years for those who were over the age of 16 from their last appointment;
• Up to 25 years for those who were under the age of 16 from their last appointment.

You have a right to:

• Right to withdraw consent
• Right to be informed
• Right of access
• Right of rectification
• Right to erasure
• Right to restriction

Please note the above-mentioned rights are not absolute as they are dependent on the legal bases.

Should you wish to exercise any of your rights mentioned above under the UK GDPR, or complain, please contact Data Protection and Information Governance team by sending an email to dpo@northampton.ac.uk. If you are not satisfied, you can send your complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office either by Phone: 0303 123 1113 or Website: ICO Complaints.

If your complaint is not related to the data protection matters, please contact podiatry@northampton.ac.uk