Code Of Practice For Patient Complaints
In this practice we take complaints very seriously and we aim to ensure that all patients are pleased with their experience of our service. We adopt a non discriminatory approach to dealing with patient complaints and treat all patients with courtesy and respect. Our practice is committed to ensuring and safeguarding the right to equality and to freedom from discrimination on such grounds as disability, political or other opinion, race, religion, sex or sexual orientation and marital status. Our practice supports the Race Relations Act 1976 and the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 and 1986 and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. When patients complain, they are dealt with courteously and promptly so that the matter is resolved as quickly as possible.
Our aim is to react to complaints in the way in which we would all want a complaint about a service to be handled. We learn from every mistake that we make and we respond to patients concerns in a caring and sensitive way.
- The person responsible within the practice for dealing with any complaint about the service we provide is: Miss Micaela Manning
- If the patient complains in writing the letter will be passed on immediately to: Miss Micaela Manning
- If the patient complains on the phone or at the reception desk, we will listen to the complaint and offer to refer it to: Miss Micaela Manning
- If a complaint is about any aspect of clinical care or associated charges, it will normally be referred to the dentist.
- We will acknowledge the patient’s complain verbally and/or in writing and enclose a copy of this code of practice within three working days. We will see to investigate the complaint and provide a response within 10 days of the complaint being received. If this is not possible, we will inform the complainant in a timely manner of any unavoidable delays.
- We will confirm the decision about the complaint in writing to the patient immediately after completing our investigation.
- If complaining on behalf of someone else, please note that we keep strictly to the rules of confidentiality, however, we must know that you have permission to do so. A note signed by the person concerned will be needed, unless they are incapable (because of physical or mental illness) of providing this.
- Proper and comprehensive records are kept of any complaint received.