Patient Complaints Procedure
It is our aim to always have satisfied patients, to meet your expectations of care and service and to resolve any complaints as efficiently, effectively and politely as possible. We take complaints very seriously, investigating them in a full and fair way and taking great care to protect your confidentiality. We learn from complaints to improve our care and service.
We will never discriminate against patients who have made a complaint and we will be happy to answer any questions you may have about this procedure.
If you are not entirely satisfied with any aspect of our care or service, please let us know as soon as possible to allow us to address your concerns promptly. We accept complaints made verbally as well as written complaints.
Who handles complaints
Tina Green is the Complaints Manager and will be your personal contact to assist you with any complaints. We aim to resolve verbal complaints within 24 hours where possible. If you complain in writing, the Complaints Manager will send an acknowledgement letter within three working days and will aim to provide a full response in writing as soon as practical.
You can send your complaints to 1-2 Garston Park Parade, Watford, Hertfordshire, WD25 9LQ, call us on 07784 388944 or email the Complaints Manager at hayley@elitesmiles.co.uk.
How we investigate
If the Complaints Manager is unavailable, we will take brief details about the complaint and arrange a meeting when it is suitable for you and the practice. We will keep comprehensive and confidential records of your complaint. These will be stored securely and only be accessible by those who need to know about your complaint.
If the complaint investigation takes longer than anticipated, the Complaints Manager will contact you at least every ten working days to keep you informed of the reason for any delays, the progress of the investigation and the proposed date it will be completed.
When the investigation has been completed, you will be informed of its outcome in writing. We will make our response clear, addressing each of your concerns as best as we can. You will also be invited to a meeting to discuss the results and any practical solutions that we can offer to you.
These solutions could include replacing treatment, refunding fees paid, referring you for specialist treatments or other solutions that meet your needs and resolve the complaint.
Learning from feedback
We regularly analyse patient complaints to learn from them and to improve our services. That is why we always welcome your feedback, comments, suggestions and complaints.
If you are dissatisfied with our response to a complaint, you can take the matter further using the contacts below.
Escalation contacts
If you are dissatisfied with our response to a complaint, you can contact the GDC private dental complaints service within 12 months of the treatment or within 12 months of becoming aware of the issue.
- GDC private dental complaints service: call 020 8253 0800 or visit www.dentalcomplaints.org.uk.
- The Care Quality Commission regulates private and NHS dental care services in England. Call 03000 616161.
- The General Dental Council regulates all dental professionals. You can complain using their online form at www.gdc-uk.org, email information@gdc-org.uk or call 020 7167 6000.