COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE
NHS COMPLAINTS
PRIVATE COMPLAINTS
PRIVATE COMPLAINTS
How to make a complaint:
In person or by phone: Ask to speak to our Complaints Manager, Gemma Rowlands.
If she is not available, we’ll arrange a suitable time or another staff member will help. We’ll make a written note of your complaint and give you a copy.
In writing or by email: Your complaint will be passed straight to the Complaints Manager.
What happens next:
- We will acknowledge your complaint in writing within 2 working days and send you a copy of this procedure.
- We’ll agree how you’d like us to keep in touch (phone, email, letter, or meeting).
- Complaints are usually investigated and resolved within 30 working days. You will be kept updated.
- At the end, you’ll receive a full written response, explaining:
how we looked into your complaint
what we found and what action we are taking
any changes made to improve our service
Records & Learning:
We keep a record of all complaints and use them to improve our care and service.
If you’re not satisfied, you can contact the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales via the link below.
The ombudsman makes the final decision on complaints that have not been resolved by the dental practice, provider or NHS
PRIVATE COMPLAINTS
PRIVATE COMPLAINTS
PRIVATE COMPLAINTS
How to make a complaint:
Step 1: Raise it with the dental practice
ask to speak to our Complaints Manager, Gemma Rowlands.
If she is not available we will arrange a suitable time or another member of staff will help.
In writing or by email: Your complaint will be passed straight to the Complaints Manager.
The dental practice or surgery can offer an apology and may offer a refund, or can agree to put things right.
The dental practice or surgery can offer an apology, may offer a refund, or can agree to put things right. You should go to the next step if you would rather not raise your complaint with the practice, dental professional or other dental service provider. Complaints are usually investigated and resolved within 30 working days. You will be kept updated. At the end, you’ll receive a full written response, explaining: how we looked into your complaint what we found and what action we are taking any changes made to improve our service
Records & Learning:
We keep a record of all complaints and use them to improve our care and service.
If you were not able to resolve the problem with your dental practice -
Step 2: Go to the Dental Complaints Service (DCS)
The DCS can help you resolve the issue and support discussions which may lead to an offer to refund or provide remedial treatment. The DCS can help with complaints about private dental services only.
If you had private treatment through a dental plan, you should contact your plan provider, as they will have their own complaints process.
NHS Missed Appointments and Short Notice Cancellations
In line with Local Health Board guidelines, we require 24 hours notice to cancel/rearrange an appointment. If repeated short notice cancellations or failed appointments occur
(2 consecutive or 3 within a 3 year period) the practice hold the right to remove you from our NHS patient population and can refuse to offer you any further treatment under the NHS. All short notice cancellations and failed appointments are recorded on patient notes.
It is understandable that sometimes cancellations cannot be helped due to illness or emergency and discretion may be used if there is a good reason for the appointment being missed.
PRIVATE Missed Appointments and Short Notice Cancellations
In line with practice policy, we require 24 hours notice to cancel/rearrange an appointment.
If we do not receive the required notice period we will charge a missed/short notice cancel fee. The fee will be dependent on the length and nature of the appointment. All short notice cancellations and failed appointments are recorded on patient notes.
It is understandable that sometimes cancellations cannot be helped due to illness or emergency and discretion may be used if there is a good reason for the appointment being missed.
Payments
We accept cash and card payments here at the practice and we can take over the phone payments if required.