It is the aim of the practice to ‘Have a Clear and Effective Complaints Procedure’ by meeting the GDC ‘Standards for the Dental Team’ and deliver good practice in complaint handling.
The practice has appointed a Complaints Manager, Donna Clarkson, and our complaints procedure (G 110 C/CW) is on display in all waiting rooms.
We have published our complaints procedure on our website in line with GDC advertising standards.
This practice has developed a framework for managing complaints and feedback based on these principles:
All complaints are recorded and logged. All correspondence or investigation records are stored with the Record and Register. Complaint Records are treated as confidential at all times and kept separate from clinical records. Only authorised persons have access to the Complaints Records.
The practice team is trained to resolve all complaints promptly, efficiently and politely by following our Patient Complaints Procedure. The team responds to complaints in the time limits set by the Patient Complaints Procedure and always provides constructive responses to complaints. The practice never discriminates against a patient who has made a complaint.
Team members cannot react defensively to a complaint but must listen carefully to a patient who makes one whilst involving them fully in the process of managing it. The team members will, to the best of their abilities, endeavour to meet any outcomes the patient expects and offer sincere apologies when appropriate.
If a patient is not satisfied despite our best efforts to resolve the complaint, they will be informed about other avenues that are open to them such as the GDC Dental Complaints Service, NHS or the Ombudsman.
The team are regularly trained in complaint handling and are involved in the regular review of complaints, complaints procedures and management so that services, policies and procedures an be continually improved.
All complaints will be acknowledged and responded to by the practice within the timescales detailed in the Patient Complaints Procedure.
We keep patients informed of the status of the complaint during the investigation and always aim to resolve the complaint within the timeframe specified in our policies and procedures or as agreed with the complainant.
Th practice appoints a team member to regularly check for online reviews. All feedback, both positive and negative is acknowledged and we follow the recommendations for dealing with poor reviews outlined in the Complaints, Problems and Events Overview.
