Complaints Handling Policy

Our aim is to react to complaints in the way in which we would want our own 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 for dealing with any complaint about the service which we provide is Srinivas Jakileti, our Complaints 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 Complaints Manager. The member of staff will take brief details of the complaint and pass them on to the Complaints Manager. If necessary, we may ask you to put your complaint in writing.

If the patient complains in writing, the letter or email will be passed on to the Complaints Manager.

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.

We will acknowledge the patient's complaint in writing, normally within 3 working days.

We will seek to investigate the complaint within 15 working days of receipt, to give an explanation of the circumstances which led to the complaint. If we are unable to investigate the complaint within 15 working days, we will notify the patient, giving reasons for the delay and a likely period within which the investigation will be completed.

When we have completed our investigation, we will provide the patient with a full written report. The report will include an explanation of how the complaint has been considered, the conclusions reached in respect of each specific part of the complaint, details of any necessary remedial action, and whether the practice is satisfied with any action it has already taken or will be taking as a result of the complaint.

Proper and comprehensive records are kept of any complaint received.

If patients are not satisfied with the result of our procedure, then a complaint may be made to:

The Dental Complaints Service — The Lansdowne Building, 2 Lansdowne Road, Croydon, Greater London CR9 2ER (Telephone: 0845 612 0540), for complaints about private treatment.

The General Dental Council — 37 Wimpole Street, London W1G 8DQ (Telephone: 020 7167 6000), the dentists' regulatory body, for complaints about professional misconduct.

NHS Dental Services — The Complaints Manager, NHS England, PO Box 16738, Redditch B97 9PT (email: england.contactus@nhs.net, Telephone: 0300 311 2233), for complaints about NHS treatment.