Complaints Policy

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 which adheres to national criteria.

At Lion House Dental Practice we take complaints very seriously and we try 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 procedure is based on these objectives.

Our aim is to react to complaints in the way in which we would want our complaint about a service to be handled.  We learn from every mistake that we make and we respond to patients’ concerns in a caring and sensitive way.

• If a patient complains on the telephone or at the reception desk, we will listen to their complaint and offer to refer him or her to our Senior team member on site on the day. If this person is not available at the time, then the patient will be told when they will be able to talk to the dentist and arrangements will be made. The member of staff will take brief details of the complaint and pass them on. 
• If the patient complains in writing the letter or email will be passed on immediately to the senior responsible person.
• If a complaint is about any aspect of clinical care or associated charges, it will normally be referred to the dentist, unless the patient does not want this to happen.
• We will acknowledge the patient’s complaint in writing as soon as possible.
• We will seek to investigate the complaint within 10 working days of receipt to give an explanation of the circumstances which led to the complaint. We will attempt to talk to them on the telephone, if appropriate. If we are unable to investigate the complaint within 10 working days we will notify the patient, giving reasons for the delay and a likely period within which the investigation will be completed.
• We will confirm the decision about the complaint in writing immediately after completing our investigation.
• Proper and comprehensive records are kept of any complaint received in our Complaints File.

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 note signed by the person concerned will be needed, unless that are incapable of providing this because of physical or mental illness or are a child under 16 years.