If you have acomplaint 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 take complaints very seriously indeed and try and ensure that all of our patients are pleased with their experience of our service. When patients complain, they are dealt with courteously and promptly so that the matter can be resolved as quickly as possible. Our aim is to react to complaints in the way in which we would want our complaint about a service to be handled. We operate a practice complaints procedure. Our complaints procedure adheres to national criteria.
How to Complain
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 – ideally, within a matter of days or at most a few weeks – because this will enable us to establish what happened most easily. If it is not possible to do that, please let us have details of your complaint as soon as possible.
Complaints about the treatment you received should be made to the dentist who normally sees you. We at Writtle Dental Practice endeavour to provide the highest standard of care, however if you are not happy please do tell us. Alternatively, you may ask for an appointment with Mr Azm Ahmed or Mrs Samira Ahmed in order to discuss your concerns. If we are unable to resolve your problem then and there we will explain the complaints procedure to you and will ensure that your concerns are dealt with promptly. It will help if you are as clear as possible about your complaint.
What We Shall Do
We shall acknowledge your complaint in writing within 2 working days and aim to have looked into your complaint within 10 working days of the date you raised it with us. We shall enclose a copy of this code of practice as soon as possible We shall then be in a position to give you an explanation or offer a meeting with those involved. If we are unable to investigate your complaint within 10 working days we will notify you, giving reasons for the delay and a likely period within which the investigation will be completed.
In investigating your complaint, we shall aim to:
- find out what happened and what went wrong
- enable you to discuss the problem with those concerned, if you would like this;
- ensure you receive an apology, where this is appropriate;
- identify what we can do to make sure the problem does not happen again.
Proper and comprehensive records are kept of any complaint received. Upon investigation we will provide you with a written explanation including any action already taken or that we will be taking as a result of the complaint and any steps taken to improve our services as a consequence of the complaint.
Complaining on Behalf of Someone Else
Please note that we keep strictly to the rules of confidentiality. If you are complaining on behalf of someone else, we have to know that you have the permission to do so. A written request signed by the person concerned will be needed, unless they are incapable of providing this because of physical or mental illness or they are a child under 16 years.
If you are not satisfied with the results of our procedure then a complaint may be made to:
Complaints about NHS dental treatment
Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB)
mseicb.complaints@nhs.net (with ‘for the attention of the complaints team’ in the subject line)
By Post: Complaints and Concerns Team, NHS Mid and South Essex ICB, Phoenix Court, Christopher Martin Road, Basildon, Essex SS14 3HG
Further information about making a complaint is available from:
- the NHS complaints section on the NHS UK website
- the Citizens Advice Bureau
- the Care Quality Commission (CQC) – which does not settle individual disputes but your feedback about a practice helps it to decide when, where and what to inspect
Failing these options you may wish to contact the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman on 0345 015 4033 - General Dental Council
37 Wimpole Street
London W1M 8DQ
Tel. 0207 1676000
Complaints about private dental treatment
If you’re not happy with the way we have handled your complaint and it is not resolved to your satisfaction, please contact the Dental Complaints Service.
This service is funded by the General Dental Council, which sets out standards of conduct for and regulates all dental professionals in the UK.
You can call the Dental Complaints Service on 0208 2530800 (Monday to Friday 9am-5pm) or fill out the complaint form on their website.
Our Denplan Patients
For our Denplan patients if we have not been able to resolve your complaint they can contact Denplan directly for advice:
Denplan Tel: 0800 328 3223
You may also like to contact the General Dental Council.
