In this practice we take complaints very seriously and try to ensure that all our patients are pleased with their experience of our service. When patients complain, they are dealt with courteously and promptly so that the matter is resolved as quickly as possible. This procedure is based on these objectives.
Our aim is to react to complaints in the way in which we would want our complaint about a service to be handled. We learn from every mistake that we make and we respond to customers’ concerns in a caring and sensitive way.
1. The person responsible for dealing with any complaint about the service which we provide is Niamh Egan, our Complaints Manager.
2. Any complaint should have a complaint form opened and started immediately by the person who received the complaint
3. If a client complains on the telephone or at the reception desk, we will listen to their complaint and try to resolve the issue at the time. If this fails, then we offer to refer him or her to the Complaints Manager immediately. If the Complaints Manager is not available at the time, then the client will be told when they will be able to talk to the complaints manager and arrangements will be made for this to happen. The member of staff will take details of the complaint and pass them on. If we cannot arrange this within a reasonable period or if the client does not wish to wait to discuss the matter, arrangements will be made for someone else to deal with it.
4. If the client complains in writing, the letter or email will be passed on immediately to the Complaints Manager.
5. If a complaint is about any aspect of clinical care or associated charges it will normally be referred to the dentist, unless the client does not want this to happen.
6. We will acknowledge the client’s complaint in writing and enclose a copy of this code of practice as soon as possible, normally within 3 working days.
7. We will seek to investigate the complaint within 10 working days of receipt to give an explanation of the circumstances which led to the complaint. If the client does not wish to meet us, then we will attempt to talk to them on the telephone. If we are unable to investigate the complaint within 10 working days, we will notify the client, giving reasons for the delay and a likely period within which the investigation will be completed.
8. We will confirm the decision about the complaint in writing immediately after completing our investigation.
9. Proper and comprehensive records are kept of any complaint received in our complaints log as well as written up on a complaint form. All telephone/verbal conversations with the client are to written up in the telephone icon on the client’s chart. All emails, letters and the record of any telephone/ verbal conversation are to be saved in a named folder in the complaints file in my documents
10. If patients are not satisfied with the result of our procedure then a complaint may be made to:
The Dental Complaints Service The Lansdowne Building, 2 Lansdowne Road, Croydon, Greater London CR9 2ER (Telephone: 08456 120 540) for complaints about private treatment.
The General Dental Council 37 Wimpole Street, London, W1M 8DQ (Telephone: 0845 222 4141), the dentists’ regulatory body for complaints about professional misconduct.