COMPLAINTS POLICY

Complaints are taken very seriously in this Practice and we try to ensure that all patients are pleased with our service. We would never be complacent to think that problems and misunderstandings would never occur. They can happen, but please be assured every effort will be made to resolve things as a matter of urgency.

A code of practice for handling complaints is detailed below and we hope you will find it acceptable.

Our aim is to react to complaints in the same way that we would want our own complaint handled.

We hope to learn from every case and to respond to patient’s concerns in a caring and sensitive way. The person responsible for dealing with any complaint is the practice manager – Mr R. Datta.

When a patient complains on the telephone or at the reception desk we will listen and the member of staff present will note brief details of the complaint and pass them to the practice manager.

All complaints will be acknowledged by telephone within 2 working days if possible. You will be invited to attend for an informal meeting to discuss the matter.

Following the meeting, or in the event of you not wishing to meet, we will seek to investigate the complaint and respond in writing within 15working days.

Proper and comprehensive records are kept of any complaint received. Please note, as a practice we adhere to a “Duty of Candour” that dictates we will always be open and honest.

Alternatively you can contact:

The Dental Complaints Service, 37 Wimpole Street, London W1G 8DQ or call on 0208 253 0800 (Monday – Friday 9am – 5pm)

Patients who remain unhappy after local resolution is complete may request a review of their complaint by the Ombudsman (The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, Millbank Tower, Millbank, London SW1P 4QP Telephone 0345 015 4033

Alternatively you can call the Care Quality Commission by phone on 03000 616161 or write to them at: CQC National Customer Service Centre, Citygate, Gallowgate, Newcastle upon Tyne. NE1 4PA