Birmingham – Code of Practice for Patient Complaints

In this practice we take complaints very seriously indeed 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 Dr Karan Farmah, Practice Principal.
2. If a patient complains on the telephone or in person, we will listen to their complaint and offer to refer him or her to the Practice Principal immediately. If the Practice Principal is not available at the time, then the patient will be informed when they will be able to talk to the Practice Principal and arrangements will be made for this to happen. The member of staff will take brief details of the complaint and pass them on to the Practice Principal. 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.
3. If the patient complains in writing or by email, it will be passed on immediately to the Practice Principal, Dr Karan Farmah.
4. If a complaint is about any aspect of clinical care or associated charges it will normally be referred to the dentist concerned, unless the patient does not want this to happen.
5. We will acknowledge the patient’s complaint in writing and enclose a copy of this code of practice within three working days.
6. We will seek to investigate the complaint within ten working days of receipt 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 them 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.
7. We will confirm the decision about the complaint in writing immediately after completing our investigation.
8. Proper and comprehensive records are kept of any complaint received as well as any actions taken to improve services as a consequence of a complaint.
9. If patients are not satisfied with the result of our procedure then a complaint may be made to:

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, Millbank Tower, Millbank, London, SW1P 4QP. Telephone: 0345 015 4033 www.ombudsman.org.uk.

The Dental Complaints Service, The Lansdowne Building, 2 Lansdowne Road, Croydon, Greater London, CR9 2ER. Telephone: 08456 120 540 www.dentalcomplaints.org.uk.

Hinckley – Code of Practice for Patient Complaints

It is our aim to always have satisfied patients, to meet your expectations of care and service and to resolve any complaints as efficiently, effectively, and politely as possible. We take complaints very seriously, investigating them in a full and fair way and take great care to protect your confidentiality. We learn from complaints to improve our care and service. We will never discriminate against patients who have made a complaint and we will be happy to answer any questions you may have about this procedure.

If you are not entirely satisfied with any aspect of our care or service, please let us know as soon as possible to allow us to address your concerns promptly. We accept complaints made verbally as well as written complaints.

Sarah Glenn is the Practice Manager and will be your personal contact to assist you with any complaints. We aim to resolve verbal complaints within 24 hours where possible, but if you complain in writing the Practice Manager will send an acknowledgement letter within 3 working days.

You can send your complaints to Sarah Glenn, 34 Station Road, Hinckley, Leicestershire, LE10 1AP, call us on 01455 637141, or email sarah.g@houseofdental.co.uk.

And will aim to provide a full response with any findings and action to be taken within next 21 working days.

If you do not feel you can raise a complaint about your NHS service directly with us, you can address your complaint directly to

• NHS England at england.contactus@nhs.net with ‘For the attention of the complaints team’ in the subject line

If the Practice Manager is unavailable, we will take brief details about the complaint and will arrange for a meeting or telephone call when it is suitable for you and the practice. We will keep comprehensive and confidential records of your complaint, which will be stored securely and only be accessible by those who need to know about your complaint. If the complaint investigation takes longer than anticipated, the Practice Manager will contact you at least every ten working day to keep you informed of the reason for any delays, the progress of the investigation and the proposed date it will be completed.

When the investigation has been completed, you will be informed of its outcome in writing. We will make our response clear, addressing each of your concerns as best as we can. You may also be invited to a meeting to discuss the results and any practical solutions that we can offer to you. These solutions could include replacing treatment, refunding fees paid, referring you for specialist treatments or other solutions that meet your needs and resolve the complaint.

We regularly analyse patient complaints to learn from them and to improve our services. That’s why we always welcome your feedback, comments, suggestions and complaints. If you are dissatisfied with our response to a complaint you can take the matter further, please see the contacts below.

Contacts

GDC private dental complaints service can be contacted by calling 020 8253 0800 or visiting www.dentalcomplaints.org.uk.

If you are still unhappy about your NHS complaint, you can contact

• the Parliamentary Health Ombudsman (England): by calling 0345 015 4033 or visiting www.ombudsman.org.uk

The General Dental Council is responsible for regulating all dental professionals. You can complain using their online form at www.gdc-uk.org contact them on information@gdc-org.uk or by calling 020 7167 6000.

Financial Ombudsman – https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/
complaint.info@financial-ombudsman.org.uk
Call the helpline on 0800 023 4567

If you are dissatisfied with our response and your agreement is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, you have the right to refer your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service, free of charge, but you must do so within six months of the date of the final response or 8 week holding letter. Further information and contact details can be found on www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk.