Complaints handling policy

We take complaints very seriously and try to ensure that all our patients are pleased with their experience. When someone complains, we strive to deal with him or her courteously and promptly so that the matter is resolved quickly. We care about our patients and learn from any errors. Patients should be reassured that raising a complaint will not affect their treatment in any way. Our aim is to react to complaints in the way in which we would want our complaint about a service to be handled.

• Our complaints managers are Anjli Patel and Anne-Marie Smith
• If a complaint is made verbally or by phone and the complaints manager is not available, a member of our team will take the details and arrange a suitable time for the manager to contact you
• If a complaint is made in writing, the letter will be passed directly to the complaints manager
• All complaints about any part of our clinical care are referred to the clinician unless the patient requests it is not
• We will acknowledge the complaint within three working days
• We will try to investigate the complaint within ten working days. If you do not wish to meet us, we will attempt to talk to you on the telephone. If we cannot investigate the issue within ten days, we will inform you of the reason for the delay and when the investigation is likely to be completed
• We will write to the complainant with a decision regarding the complaint
• 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.
• If patients are not satisfied with the outcome then a complaint can be referred to:

NHS England Complaints Team: NHS England, PO Box 16738, Redditch. B97 9PT
Tel: 0300 311 22 33
Email: england.contactus@nhs.net

The Dental Complaints Service, 37 Wimpole Street, London W1G 8DQ, www.dentalcomplaints.org.uk
Tel: 020 8253 0800

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