Complaints Handling Policy
1. Our Commitment At Harmoni Dental, we take complaints very seriously. We aim to resolve all complaints efficiently, effectively, and politely. We follow the GDC Standards (Principle 5) and the NHS Complaints Regulations (where applicable). We ensure that making a complaint will not affect a patient's ongoing care.
2. How to Make a Complaint Complaints can be made in person, by telephone, or in writing (email or letter) to the Complaints Manager. Complaints can be made by patients, or by a person acting on their behalf (e.g., a parent, carer, or representative) provided they have the patient's consent.
3. The Procedure & Timescales
- Acknowledgment: We will acknowledge the complaint in writing (or email) within 3 working days. We will offer to discuss the matter and agree on how it will be handled.
- Investigation: We will investigate the complaint fully. This may involve meeting with the staff members involved and reviewing clinical records.
- Response: We aim to provide a full written response within 20 working days. If we cannot meet this deadline, we will inform the patient of the delay and the reason, providing updates every 10 working days.
4. The Outcome Our response will include:
- A summary of the investigation.
- An apology where appropriate (Duty of Candour).
- Details of what we have done to prevent the issue from happening again.
5. Learning & Records We adopt a 'no-blame' approach to complaints and use them as an opportunity to improve our service. Lessons learned are discussed at practice meetings to prevent recurrence. All records of complaints are stored securely and kept strictly separate from the patient’s clinical records.
6. If the Patient is Not Satisfied If a satisfactory outcome is not reached, the patient may contact:
- For Private Treatment: Dental Complaints Service: 020 8253 0800 (www.dcs.gdc-uk.org)
- For Regulation Breaches: Care Quality Commission (CQC): (Note: The CQC does not resolve individual complaints but logs them for inspection data).
