In this practice we place great emphasis on meeting and whenever possible, exceeding our patient’s expectations. We try to ensure that all patients are pleased with their experience of our service and we take any concerns a patient may have very seriously.

If you have a concern regarding any aspect of your care, please let us know. We will do all that we can to resolve your concern to your satisfaction both promptly and professionally.

Our aim is to respond to patients’ concerns in a caring and sensitive way.

The person responsible for dealing with any concerns about the service we provide in this practice, is the Practice Service Coordinator, who is Janice Barr.

If a patient raises an issue they are unhappy about on the telephone or at the reception desk, after listening to a description of the problem, we will immediately contact Janice Barr, the Practice Service Coordinator. Should the designated person or other responsible person not be available at the time, the patient will be informed when they will be available and arrangements will be made for the two to meet or speak. The member of staff will take brief details of the concern and pass them to the Practice Service Coordinator.

If a patient writes to express their concern, the letter will be passed on to the relevant person immediately.

We will acknowledge any concerns raised in writing within two days. If a concern has been raised in writing, the written acknowledgement will also include a copy of this Code of Practice, again, normally within two working days. We will investigate the concern and report back within ten working days of it being received. If we are unable to complete our investigations within ten working days for any reason, we will notify the patient, giving reasons for the delay and the likely period within which the investigation will be completed.

We will confirm the outcome of the investigation and any decisions made in writing.

Proper and comprehensive records are kept of any concerns or complaints received.

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

• The Dental Complaints Service for complaints about private treatment Stephenson House, 2 Cherry orchard, Croydon, CR0 6BA
  Phone 08456 120 540
  Email: info@dentalcomplaints.org.uk

• The General Dental Council, 37 Wimpole Street, London, W1M 8DQ (the dentists’ registration body)
  Phone: 0845 222 4141 (UK local rate)
  Email: standards@gdc-uk.org

• South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust
  Phone 0289266 5181

• The Ombudsman, Freepost BEL 1478, Belfast, BT1 6BR.
  Phone: Freephone 0800 343 424
  Switchboard 028 9023 3821
  Email: ombudsman@ni-ombudsman.org.uk

The Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority have an oversight role in the management of complaints. Their address is:
9th Floor, Riverside Tower 5 Lanyon Place Belfast BT1 3BT
Phone 028 9051 7500 Email: info@rqia.org.uk

This document will be reviewed annually and is due for review on: 6^th August 2016 or prior to this date in accordance with any mandatory or legislative changes.