We will deal with complaints courteously and promptly and aim to resolve the matter as quickly as possible.
If you wish to make a complaint or simply let us know how we could have done better, please contact our Complaints’ Manager:
Although we understand in some circumstances patients may be angry or upset Please be aware of our zero tolerance policy. We aim to provide help and support and deal with complaints promptly however our zero tolerance policy will still be followed if staff members are met with aggression, raised voices or abusive language.
The Complaints’ Manager usually works at the practice on Monday to Friday and will endeavor to be available during these times.
If you contact the practice to make a complaint and the Complaints’ Manager is not available, we will arrange a convenient time for them to contact you. We will ask you for brief details of your complaint so that the Complaints’ Manager can gather any useful information before contacting you. You will be given a copy of the notes made for the Complaints’ Manager.
We will offer to discuss the complaint with you and will ask how you would like to be kept informed of developments – by telephone, letters or e-mail or by face-to-face meetings. We will let you know how we will deal with your complaint and the likely time that the investigation will take to complete. If you do not wish to discuss the complaint further, we will still let you know the expected timescale for completing the investigation.
We will investigate your complaint within 10 days or if the issue is complex within 6 months and, as far as reasonably practicable, will let you know how our investigation is progressing.
When we have completed our investigation, we will provide you with a full written report, unless you have told us that you do not wish for further communication. The report will explain how we considered the complaint, the conclusions we reached for each part of your complaint, details of any remedial action we have taken and whether further action is needed.
We keep proper and comprehensive records of any complaints that we receive and the action we have taken following investigation. We review these records regularly to ensure that we recognise our mistakes and take every opportunity to improve our service.
If your complaint was about your dental treatment and you are not satisfied with the result of our investigation, you can take up the matter with a relevant external organisation.
ENGLAND:
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, Millbank Tower, Millbank London SW1P 4QP (0345 015 4033 or www.ombudsman.org.uk).
Dental Complaints Service, 37 Wimpole Street, London W1G 8DQ
(020 8253 0800 or online at https://contactus.gdc-uk.org/dcs/Complaint/PrivatePatients).
