Complaints Procedure

CODE OF PRACTICE FOR PATIENT COMPLAINTS

In this practice, we take complaints very seriously and endeavour to ensure that all our patients are satisfied with the service they receive from us. Should you have a complaint, you will be dealt with courteously and promptly so that the matter will be resolved as quickly as possible. The following procedure sets out these aims:

Our aim is to respond to complaints in the same way in which we would want our complaint about a service to be handled. We learn from every mistake that we make and we will respond to patients’ concerns in a professional, caring and sensitive manner.

  1. The person responsible for dealing with any complaint about the service which we provide is:

MR DANIEL GREENFIELD, MANAGER.

  1. If a patient complains on the telephone or at the Reception desk, we will listen to his or her complaint and offer to refer him or her to:

MR DANIEL GREENFIELD, MANAGER.

If Mr Greenfield is not available at the time, then the patient will be told when he/she will be able to talk to her and arrangements will be made for this to happen. The member of staff will take brief details of the complaint and pass them on. If we cannot arrange this within a reasonable time period or if the patient does not wish to wait to discuss the matter, arrangements will be made for someone else to deal with it.

  1. If a patient complains in writing, the letter will be passed on immediately to:

MR DANIEL GREENFIELD, MANAGER.

  1. If a complaint is about any aspect of clinical care or associated charges it will normally be referred to the Dentist, unless the patient does not want this to happen.
  2. We will respond to any written complaint received by sending an acknowledgement first class within two working days and enclose a copy of this code of practice. We will seek to investigate the complaint within ten working days of the complaint being received to give an explanation of the circumstances which led to the complaint. If a patient does not wish to meet us, then we will attempt to talk to him or her on the telephone. If we are unable to investigate the complaint within ten working days we will notify the patient, giving reasons for the delay and a likely period within which the investigation will be completed.
  3. We will confirm the decision about the complaint in writing to a patient immediately after completing our investigation.
  4. Proper and comprehensive records are kept of any complaint received.
  5. If a patient is still not satisfied with the result of our procedure, then a complaint may be made within two months of receipt of our final letter to one of the following bodies:

NHS: NHS England, PO Box 16738, Redditch, B97 9PT

Private: The Dental Complaints Service. The Lansdowne Building, 2 Lansdowne Road, Croydon, CR9 2ER. Tel. 08456 120 540. Policy updated April 2013