COMPLAINTS CODE OF PRACTICE
Blossom Dental Care takes complaints very seriously and tries to ensure that all 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 the following objective.
“Blossom Dental Care aims to react in the way in which we would want our complaint about a service to be handled. We learn from our every mistake that we make, and we respond to patients’ concerns in a caring and sensitive way.”
The Procedure
- The person responsible for dealing with any complaint about the service we provide is Mrs Lucy Fletcher, the Practice Manager.
- If a patient complains on the telephone or at the reception desk, we will listen to their complaint and offer to refer them to the Practice Manager immediately. If the Practice Manager is not available at the time, then the patient will be told when they will be able to talk a senior team member 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 handle the complaint.
- If the complaint is in writing the letter will be passed on immediately to Mrs Lucy Fletcher, the Practice Manager.
- If a complaint is about any aspect of clinical care or associated charges it will normally be referred to the dentist who undertook the treatment.
- We will acknowledge the patient’s complaint in writing and enclose a copy of this code of practice as soon as possible, normally within two working days. We will seek to investigate the complaint within fourteen days of the complaint being received to give an explanation of the circumstances that led to the complaint. If we are unable to investigate the complaint within fourteen days we will notify the patient, giving reason for the delay and a likely period within which the investigation will be completed.
- We will confirm the decision about the complaint in writing to the patient immediately after completing our investigation.
- Proper and comprehensive reports are kept of any complaint received.
- If patients are not satisfied with the result of our procedure, then a complaint may be referred to:
For complaints about NHS treatment either the:
NHS England
PO Box 16738
Redditch
B97 9PT
0300 311 22 33
england.contactus@nhs.net
If you are making a complaint, please state: ‘For the attention of the complaints team’ in the subject line.
Parliamentary and Health
Service Ombudsman
Millbank Tower
Millbank
London
SW1P 4QP
0345 015 40 33
www.ombudsman.org.uk
For complaints about private treatment:
The Dental Complaints Service
Stephenson House
2 Cherry Orchard Road
Croydon
Greater London
CRO 6BA
