Complaints Policy
It is the aim of this practice to ‘Have a Clear and Effective Complaints Procedure’ by meeting the GDC
‘Standards for the Dental Team’, to meet the NHS complaints requirements and deliver good practice in
complaint handling. We have appointed Nadeem Rathore as our Responsible Person.
The practice has appointed a Complaints Manager, Farhana Rathore, and our complaints procedure (G
110 C/CW) is on display in all waiting rooms. A summary of our procedure is also available to patients in
our patient guide.
We have published our complaints procedure on our website in line with GDC advertising standards.
Feedback and complaints handling framework
This practice has developed a framework for managing complaints and feedback based on these
principles:
1. All patient feedback is important to us.
2. We want to make it easy for patients to raise a concern or complain, if you need to.
3. We follow a complaints procedure and keep patients informed.
4. We will try to answer all patient questions and any concerns you raise.
5. We want patients to have a positive experience of making a complaint.
6. Patient feedback helps us to improve our service.
Recognising complaints
Our team are aware that complaints are any expression of dissatisfaction by a patient (or their
representative) about a dental service or treatment. Complaints can be verbal or written and can be
about any part of the service we provide. All complaints must be logged internally, even if the complaint
was verbal and resolved within 24 hours.
Recording complaints
All complaints are recorded on an Event Record (G 110A) and also logged in our Event Register (G 110B).
All correspondence or investigation records are stored with the Record and Register. Complaint Records
are treated as confidential at all times and kept separate from clinical records. Only authorised persons
have access to the Complaints Records. We submit our annual complaints report to and will make it
available to any person that requests it.
Handling complaints
The practice team is trained to resolve all complaints promptly, efficiently and politely by following our
Patient Complaints Procedure (G 110C/CW). The team responds to complaints in the time limits set by
the Patient Complaints Procedure and always provides constructive responses to complaints. The
practice never discriminates against a patient who has made a complaint.
Team members cannot react defensively to a complaint but must listen carefully to a patient who makes
one whilst involving them fully in the process of managing it. The team members will, to the best of their
abilities, endeavour to meet any outcomes the patient expects and offer sincere apologies when
appropriate.
If a patient is not satisfied despite our best efforts to resolve the complaint, they will be informed about
other avenues that are open to them such as the GDC Dental Complaints Service, NHS or the
Ombudsman.
The team are regularly trained in complaint handling and are involved in the regular review of
complaints, complaints procedures and management [through iComply] so that services, policies and procedures can be continually improved.
Response timescales
All complaints will be acknowledged and responded to by the practice within the timescales detailed in
the Patient Complaints Procedure (G 110C/CW).
We keep patients informed of the status of the complaint during the investigation stage and always aim
to resolve the complaint within the timeframe specified in our policies and procedures or as agreed with
the complainant.
Online reviews
The practice appoints a team member to regularly check for online reviews. All feedback, both positive
and negative is acknowledged and we follow the recommendations for dealing with poor reviews
outlined in the Complaints, Problems and Events Overview (G 110).
Related documents
This policy should be read with the Patient Complaints Procedure (G 110C) and the Complaints,
Problems and Events Overview (G 110).
The Dental Complaints Service (08456 120540) for complaints about private treatment.
The General Dental Council, 37 Wimpole Street, London, W1M 8DQ (the dentist’s registration body)
NHS England, NHS Commissioning Board, PO Box 16738, Redditch B97 9PT.
Telephone: 03003 11 22 33, for complaints about NHS treatment
