Your smile is our service.
Here at the Smile Birmingham Group, our patients are always our priority. We deliver the best quality NHS dentistry in a calm and caring environment.
Complaints policy
In our practices, we take complaints seriously and we aim to ensure that all our 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 policy is based on these objectives.
In responding to a complaint, we aim to treat you the way we would like to be treated if we were in your position.
The person responsible for dealing with any complaint about the service which we provide is the Practice Manager with an appointed deputy complaints manager at each site.
If a patient makes a complaint, verbally, via email or in writing we will listen to and offer to refer them to the designated Complaints Manager without delay. If the complaints manager is not available at the time, then the patient will be advised to address communication to the Deputy complaints manager. The member of staff will take brief details of the complaint and pass them on.
Patient’s complaint whether in writing, verbally or email will be passed to the complaint’s manager or her deputy without delay. If a complaint is about any aspect of clinical care, it will normally be referred to the dentist.
We aim to respond to a complaint effectively and ensure that we take the opportunity to learn and improve our service. When we look into a complaint, we shall aim to:
-
find out what happened and what, if anything, went wrong
-
make it possible for the complainant to discuss the problem with those concerned
-
Identify what we can do to make sure the problem does not happen again.
If you have a complaint or concern about the service you have received from the dentists or any of the staff working in this practice, please let us know. We operate a practice complaints procedure. Our complaint system adheres to national criteria.
We hope that most problems can be sorted out easily and quickly, at the time they arise and with the person concerned. If your problem cannot be sorted in this way and you wish to make a complaint, we would like you to let us know as soon as possible.
The rules of medical confidentiality will be adhered to if the complaint is received on behalf of someone else. A note signed by the person concerned will be required, unless they are incapable (e.g. because of illness) of providing this to allow the complaint to be investigated.
If anyone other than the patient makes the complaint, then the patient’s written consent will be needed before the complaint will be responded to.
Complaints may be made to the Practice the compliant is in relation to.
The addresses are as below:
Birchfield Dental Practice, 195-197 Birchfield Road, Perry Barr, Birmingham, B19 1LL 0121 554 1066 Email:Reception@smile-
Soho Road Dental Practice, 78 Soho Rd, Handsworth, Birmingham B21 9BN, 01215238231
Email:Sohoeroad@smile-
Aldridge Road Dental Practice, 352 Dyas Rd, Birmingham B44 8TB, 01213250055
Email: aldridgeroad@smile-birmingham.
OR
to NHS England (NOT BOTH) to NHS England customer support Centre, PO Box 16738, Redditch. B97 9PT, Telephone: 03003112233. (Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm, excluding English Bank Holidays).
Email: England.contactus@nhs.
We will acknowledge the patient’s complaint in writing within 3 working days.
If we are unable to investigate the complaint within this time, we will notify the patient, giving reasons for the delay and a likely period within which the investigation will be completed.
We will seek to investigate the complaint and respond within a reasonable timeframe of receipt. Each case will be different and some cases may take longer than others.
We will arrange to discuss with the patient as to their preferred way of investigating i.e. meeting and / or written response and also arrange and agree a timescale for completing our investigation.
Proper and comprehensive records are kept of any complaint received.
In the event that a patient makes a complaint or commences/threatens to commence legal process/es against the practice, we may need to provide information about the patient and the treatment they have received to our dental defence organization, insurers and legal advisers in accordance with our Data Protection Policy.
The written account of the complaint will be documented signed and sent to the patient confirming it as a true and accurate record of the complaint.
If patients are not happy with the results of our procedure, then a complaint can be made to: Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, Millbank Tower, Millbank London SW1P 4QP. Telephone: 0345 015 4033 or www.ombudsman.org.uk.
HELP WITH COMPLAINTS
Patients can also get Assistance with Complaints via a complaint’s advocacy service. VoiceAbility, NHS Complaints Advocacy, VoiceAbility, Mount Pleasant House, Huntingdon Road, Cambridge, CB3 0RN. Telephone: 0300 330 5454 email: nhscomplaints@
COMPLAINTS ABOUT PRIVATE TREATMENT
The Dental Complaints Service, The Lansdowne Building, 2 Lansdowne Road, Croydon, Greater London CR9 2ER, 08456 120 540 or www.dentalcomplaints.org.uk
The General Dental Council, 37 Wimpole Street, London, W1M 8DQ (the dentist registration body)
Time Limits
There are time limits of 12 months from the date of the event being complained about or within 12 months of realizing there was cause to complain. Time limits can be waived where it is still possible to investigate the complaint and good reason for the delay.
Book a free consultation