Complaints Procedure

Complaints Policy and Procedure

In this practice we take complaints very seriously and try to ensure that all patients are pleased with their experience of our services. When patients complain, they are dealt with courteously and promptly so that the matter is resolved as quickly as possible.

If you have a complaint or concern about the service you have received from the dentist or any of the staff working at this practice, please let us know. We operate a practice complaints procedure for dealing with complaints. Our complaints system meets national criteria.

We hope that most problems can be resolved easily and quickly, often at the time they arise and with the person concerned. If your problem cannot be sorted out this way and you wish to make a complaint, we will respond to your complaint within three working days, enabling us to establish what happened more easily. If it is not possible to do that, please let us have details of your complaint within 12 months of the incident that caused the problem.

Complaints should be addressed to Leanne Wilshire – Complaints Manager.
Email: admin@hilltopdental.co.uk

You may ask for an appointment to discuss your concerns. We will explain the complaints procedure to you and will ensure that your concerns are dealt with promptly. It will be a great help if you are as specific as possible about your complaint.

What shall we do:

Complaints made to the practice

• The person responsible for dealing with any complaints about the service is Leanne Wilshire.
• If a patient complains on the telephone or at the reception desk, we will listen to the complaint and offer to refer the patient to Leanne Wilshire. 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, arrangements will be made for someone to deal with the matter.
• If the patient complains in writing, the letter will be passed on immediately to Leanne Wilshire.
• If a complaint is about any aspect of clinical care or associated charges, it will normally be referred to the dentist, unless the patient does not want this to happen.
• We will acknowledge the complaint within three working days. You will be invited to discuss your concerns, and we will investigate the complaint within the agreed response period. If we are unable to do so within this time, we will notify you of the delay and provide a likely completion date.
• We will confirm the outcome of the complaint in writing immediately after completing our investigation. This will be within 14 days of the complaint being received.
• Proper and comprehensive records are kept of all complaints received.
• Hilltop Dental welcomes all complaints. Any patient who makes a complaint will not be adversely treated as a result of doing so.
• Should a patient make a complaint or claim, we may need to provide information about the patient and treatment received to insurers, indemnifiers, or legal advisers.

Complaining on behalf of someone else

Please note that we keep strictly to the rules of clinical confidentiality. If you are complaining on behalf of someone else, we must have their permission to do so. A note signed by the person concerned will be required, unless they are incapable (due to physical or mental illness) of providing this.

Complaining to the Local Integrated Care Board (ICB) formerly NHS England

We hope that if you have a problem, you will use our practice complaints procedure first. This gives us the best opportunity to resolve the issue and improve our services. This does not affect your right to approach the ICB if you feel unable to raise your complaint with us or if you are dissatisfied with the outcome of our investigation.

Should you wish to make a direct complaint to the ICB or other external body please
contact:

Write to:

NHS Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board
Patient Experience and Complaints Team
First Floor, Wesleyan,
Colmore Circus,
B4 6AR
Email: bsol.patientexperience@nhs.net
Telephone: 0121 203 3313

Parliamentary & Health Service Ombudsman
Millbank Tower
Millbank
London, SW1P 4QP
Telephone: 0345 15 4033
Website: www.ombudsman.org.uk