Code of practice for handling patient complaints
We want our service to meet your expectations. If you have a concern or complaint about any aspect of our service, we want to know what mistakes we made and identify how we can improve to ensure that we meet your expectations in future. Our aim is to learn from any feedback we receive and improve the service we provide to our patients.
We will deal with complaints courteously and promptly and aim to resolve the matter as quickly as possible.
Making a complaint
If you wish to make a complaint or simply let us know how we could have done better, please contact Sandra Brito our Complaints’ Manager:
- By telephone on 07440601083
- By email at admin@monteirodentalclinic.co.uk
- By letter to 30 Brixton Road, London SW9 6BU to the attention of the Practice Manager
- In-person
STAGE 1
Complaints of a minor nature should be raised immediately with either the doctor or the Practice Manager with the aim of resolving the problem directly and informally. It is anticipated that the vast majority of complaints will be resolved in this way. Stage 1 will generally be an oral process and a written record will not be made. If you are still not satisfied with the response to your complaint, you should use stage 2 of the procedure outlined below.
STAGE 2
The Clinic appreciates that there may be occasions where the above process is inappropriate and that a more formal approach is necessary.
Where it has not been possible to resolve matters to your satisfaction under Stage 1, you should write to the Practice Manager. Your complaint must be specific and comprehensively documented. You should present full details, including your name and address, any relevant documentation, and dates, locations and witnesses as appropriate. You should also detail any previous unsuccessful attempts at resolution. Finally, you should state what reasonable steps you believe should be taken to resolve the complaint.
You should expect to receive an acknowledgement from the Practice Manager of your written complaint within two working days, together with a copy of this procedure. It is our aim that most complaints under Stage 2 should be resolved within 10 working days or if the issue is complex within 6 months. You will be informed if there is likely to be any delay in the process.
As part of the process of attempting to establish the facts of the complaint the Practice Manager may hold separate meetings with any persons who were involved with the circumstances giving rise to your complaint, and may also wish to meet with you and any material witnesses. A written record of meetings will be made by the Practice Manager.
The Practice Manager will notify you in writing of the result of your complaint and the reasons for the decision. Where the result of the complaint includes consequent action or recommendations,
- The Monteiro Dental Clinic, Ltd
- 30 Brixton Road, Oval, London SW9 6BU
- Tel: 020 7582 0109
- Mobile: 075 3993 5505
- e-mail:dental@monteiroclinic.co.uk
- web: www.monteirodentalclinic.co.uk
- Registered Office 30 Brixton Road, Oval, London SW9 6BU
- Registered in England No. 077519572
The manager responsible for the section concerned shall notify the appropriate person(s) or committee, internal or external to the Clinic, without undue delay.
Should your complaint relate to the Practice Manager/Manager to whom it would normally be referred under stage 2, it should instead be submitted to The Clinic Director, 2 Clapham Road, Oval, London SW9 0JG who will arrange for it to be heard by an alternative, senior member of the Clinic, not previously involved in the case.
STAGE 3
If the complaint remains unresolved under Stage 2 to your satisfaction, you may in turn write to the Director, explaining why this is so and seeking review and further enquiry.
The Clinic will be asked to submit to the Director your original complaint, the supporting evidence considered under stage 2 and the Clinic’s report on the outcome at that stage and the reasons for it.
The Clinic will submit all the papers to the Director, who has not been previously involved in the case, and he or she will review the way your complaint has been dealt with. He or she may seek further written information from you to clarify matters concerning the complaint. He or she may also decide, if in their opinion the evidence justifies it, to uphold (or not to do so) a complaint without proceeding further with the complaint process.
The Director may wish to meet, separately with you and the people who were involved in the circumstances giving rise to your complaint, the Nurse Manager, Practice Manager and doctor, and any appropriate witnesses. You may be accompanied at your meeting by a relative or friend. The Director will arrange for a written record to be made of each interview.
The Director will notify you in writing of the decision reached concerning this stage of your complaint and the reasons for it, together with any recommended consequent action.
STAGE 4
If you are not satisfied:
If your complaint was about your dental treatment and you are not satisfied with the result of our investigation, you can take up the matter with a relevant external organisation.
For complaints about private treatment:
Dental Complaints Service, Stephenson House, 2 Cherry Orchard Road, Croydon CR0 6BA (020 8253 0800). Or Write to: Dental Complaints Service, 37 Wimpole Street London W1G 8DQ
Records
We keep proper and comprehensive records of any complaints that we receive and the actions we have taken following the investigation. We review these records regularly to ensure that we recognise our mistakes and take every opportunity to improve our service.
Date: 31/06/2023
Review date: 06/03/2024