Complaints Procedure

We want to provide the best possible treatment and care. Your views are important because they can help us to improve the services we offer you, your family and friends.

We appreciate that everything does not always go according to plan. If you are unhappy or dissatisfied with our service, please tell the dentist or another member of staff. We may be able to sort the problem out straight away.

If you want to take your complaint further, you should write to Dr N.J Newton, the Principal Dentist, who will respond to your letter within 2 working days. Someone may also make a complaint on your behalf but we will need your permission to proceed to investigate. Your complaint will be fully investigated by the appropriate person who may arrange to visit you as part of the investigation. We aim to provide you with a full response within 10 working days. If it is not possible to deal with your complaint within this period, we will write to you explaining the reason for the delay. If something goes wrong, it is easier for us to investigate what happened as early as possible and it is more likely that it can be satisfactorily resolved.

All complaints are confidential. The details of the complaint will only be shared with those people involved in the investigation. However, lessons learned will be used to improve our services.

A record is kept of complaints. We are required by the Department of Health to record your ethnic origin as well as that of any member of staff complained about.

It would be helpful if you could set out the points on which you remain dissatisfied and what you would like to happen.

If you are still dissatisfied with our response, then you can ask for your complaint to be reviewed by an independent review panel. You should request a review within 28 days of receiving our final written response to your complaint. Your complaint will be considered by Dr Nigel Newton who will, in partnership with a independent person appointed by the Dental Complaints Service, fully review your case.

Dr Newton has a target of 10 working days in which to assess all the relevant information, make a decision and communicate that decision to you. If it is not possible to make a decision within that time, he will write to you explaining the reason for the delay. An independent review panel will be set up if this is the most helpful way forward.

Contact Telephone Numbers and Addresses:

If the complaint is regarding NHS treatment:

Nigel Newton’s Dental Care, 14 Dowland, Dartmouth Close, Worle, Weston-super-Mare, BS22 6LJ

NHS England, PO Box 16738, Redditch, B97 9PT or

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, Millbank Tower, Millbank London SW1P 4QP, telephone: 0345 015 4033 or

www.ombudsman.org.uk

General Dental Council, 37 Wimpole Street, London W1G 8DQ (Telephone 020 7167 6000) https://www.gdc-uk.org​

If the complaint is regarding private treatment:

Nigel Newton’s Dental Care, 14 Dowland, Dartmouth Close, Worle, Weston-super-Mare, BS22 6LJ

Dental Complaints Service, 37 Wimpole Street, London. W1G 8DQ (Telephone: 020 8253 0800)

Other Contacts:

Care Quality Commission: CQC National Customer Service Centre, Citygate, Gallowgate, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1

General Dental Council, 37 Wimpole Street, London W1G 8DQ (Telephone 020 7167 6000) https://www.gdc-uk.org/