Complaints Procedure
It is our aim to always have satisfied patients, to meet your expectations for 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 take 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 these procedures.
We accept complaints verbally and written, although when giving verbally we may ask you to put your complaint in writing for our own records.
Charlotte Armitage is the complaints/practice manager and will be your personal contact to assist you with any complaints.
Complaints should be sent to:
Charlotte Armitage
Greenside Dental Care
1 Mortimer Street
Cleckheaton
BD19 5AR
Or you can email Charlotte at: [email protected].
If a you make a complaint on the telephone or at reception, we will listen to the complaint and try to resolve before referring to Charlotte. If Charlotte is not available at time, details will be recorded and a time frame given as to when Charlotte will be in contact. If Charlotte is on annual leave and you would like the complaint dealing with before she returns to work, this will then be referred on to the practice principle, Chris Woods. We aim to resolve verbal complaints within 24 hours.
Written complaints will be acknowledged within 3 working days of receiving the complaint, along with a copy of the practice complaints procedure.
We seek to investigate the complaint within 10 working days of receipt to give an explanation of the circumstances which have led to the complaint.
If we are unable to investigate within the 10 working days period, you will be informed of this and the investigation will continue until resolved. You will regular up dates as to what stage we are at with the complaint, this is usually every 10 working days until resolved.
If the complaint is regarding a former associate, the complaint and your details will be passed onto for them to investigate. This can take longer than the expected 10 working days, however the you will be kept informed throughout.
When the investigation is complete, you will be informed of the outcome in writing. We will make our response clear, addressing each of your concerns as best as we can. Here we can discuss solutions including replacing treatment, refunding fees paid, referring you for specialist treatments or other solutions to meet the needs of your complaint.
We regularly analyse patients’ 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, please see contacts below.
If you are dissatisfied with out response to a complaint, you can contact the GDC private
All treatment, unless discussed otherwise, is guaranteed for 12 months.
Private complaints:
Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS): 01924 542972
Dental Complaints Service (GDC)
37 Wimpole Street
London
W1G 8DQ
Telephone 020 8253 0800 (Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm)
Online: https://dcs.gdc-uk.org
NHS complaints:
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
Citygate
Mosley Street
Manchester
M2 3HQ
Email [email protected]
Tel 0345 015 4033
www.ombudsman.org.uk.
Financial Ombudsman – https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/
[email protected]
Call the helpline on 0800 023 4567
If you are dissatisfied with our response and your agreement is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, you have the right to refer your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service, free of charge, but you must do so within six months of the date of the final response or 8 week holding letter. Further information and contact details can be found on www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk.
