Thurloe Street Dental
Complaints Policy
In this practice we take complaints very seriously indeed and try to ensure that all patients are pleased with their experience of our service. When patients complain, they are dealt with courteously and promptly so that the matter is resolved as quickly as possible. This procedure is based on these objectives.
Our aim is to react to complaints in the way in which we would want our complaint about a service to be handled. We learn from every mistake that we make and we respond to patients’ concerns in a caring and sensitive way.
- The person responsible for dealing with any complaint about the service we provide is:
Saba – Practice Manager and Patient Relations Lead
- If a patient complains on the telephone or at the reception desk, we will listen to his or her complaint and offer to refer him or her to Dr Haider Raza.
Dr Raza is not available at the time and we will keep the patient informed when he or she will be able to talk to him and arrangements will be made for this to happen. The member of staff will take brief details of the complaint and pass them on. If we cannot arrange this within a reasonable period or if the patient does not wish to wait to discuss the matter, arrangements will be made for someone else to deal with it.
- If the patient complains in writing the letter will be passed on to Dr Haider Raza.
- If a complaint is about any aspect of clinical care or associated charges it will normally be referred to Dr Haider Raza, unless the patient does not want this to happen.
- We will acknowledge the patient’s complaint in writing and enclose a copy of this code of practice as soon as possible. We will seek to investigate the complaint within 28 working days of the complaint being received to explain the circumstances which led to the complaint. If the patient does not wish to meet us, then we will attempt to talk to him or her on the telephone. If we are unable to investigate the complaint within ten working days we will notify the patient, giving reasons for the delay and a likely period within which the investigation will be completed.
- We will confirm the decision about the complaint in writing to the patient immediately after completing our investigation.
- Proper and comprehensive reports are kept of any complaint received.
- If patients are not satisfied with the result of our procedure then a complaint may be made to:
The General Dental Council 37 Wimpole Street, London, W1M 8DQ
Care Quality Commission Healthcare Team, Citygate – Gallowgate, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4PA
Dental Complaints Service Stephenson House, 2 Cherry Orchard Road, Croydon, CR0 6BA
Revised February 2023
