Complaints

Our Practice policy is based on these objectives:

1. 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 we make and we respond to patient’s concerns in a caring and sensitive way.
2. The person responsible for dealing with complaints about the service we provide is the Practice Manager: Claire Seaborne
3. 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 Claire Seaborne immediately.
4. If Claire Seaborne is not available at the time, then the patient will be told he or she will be able to talk to Claire Seaborne 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 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.
5. If the patient complains in writing the letter will be passed on immediately to Claire Seaborne.
6. 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.
7. We will acknowledge the patient’s complaint in writing and enclose a copy of this code of practice as soon as possible, normally within three working days. 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 the 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.
8. We will confirm the decision about the complaint in writing to the patient immediately after completing our investigations.
9. All complaints will be documented and kept in a confidential locked cabinet.
10. If an NHS patient is still not satisfied with the results or our procedure then a complaint may be made to:

Aneurin Bevan Health Board
Mamhilad House
Block A
Mamhilad Park
Estate
PONTYPOOL
Torfaen
NP4 0YP

http://www.puttingthingsright.wales.nhs.uk/

If a private patient is still not satisfied with the results or our procedure then a complaint may be made to:

Dental Complaints Service

Stephenson House
2 Cherry Orchard Road
Croydon
CR0 6BA

Phone: 08456 120540

Email: info@dentalcomplaints.org.uk

Website: www.dentalcomplaints.org.uk