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Complaints Procedure – Information for Patients

This practice operates a complaints procedure for services provided to patients under the National Health Service which complies with the HSC Complaints Procedure (Updated April 2019), and also with the Independent Health Care Regulations (NI) 2005

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.

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:

  • within 6 months of the incident that caused the problem; or
  • within 6 months of discovering that you have a problem, provided this is within 12 months of the incident.

Complaints about the treatment you have received should be made to the Practice Complaints Manager Beverley Gilbert.

Alternatively, you may ask for an appointment for Mark Gilbert in order to discuss your concerns. He 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 within 3 working days and aim to have looked into your complaint within 10 working days of the date when you raised it with us. We shall then be in a position to give you an explanation, or offer a meeting with those involved.

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.

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.

Complaining to the Health and Social Care Board

We hope that, if you have a problem, you will make use of our practice complaints procedure. We believe this will provide the best chance of putting right whatever has gone wrong and an opportunity to improve our practice.

However, if you do not wish to approach the Practice directly, or if you remain dissatisfied following consideration of our response, you may contact the Complaints Department of the Health and Social Care Board, (the Board) for advice and assistance in relation to the Complaints Process. The Board can act as an intermediary or ‘honest broker’ between the two parties to assist in the resolution of concerns.

Health and Social Care Board
12 – 22 Linenhall Street
Belfast
BT2 8BS
Tel: 0289536 3893
Email: [email protected]

The Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman

Once the Complaints Process has been exhausted and if you still remain dissatisfied, you retain the right to approach the Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman. You should approach the Ombudsman within 6 months of the final response being issued to your complaint.

Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman
33 Wellington Place
Belfast
BT16BR
Tel: 02890 233821 or Freephone 0800 343424
Email: [email protected]

The Patient and Client Council

Should you require any advocacy support throughout the Complaints Process, the Patient & Client Council is an organization who can provide you with the necessary support and advice.

The Patient and Client Council
2nd Floor, Centre House
79 Chichester Street
Belfast
BT1 4JE
Freephone 08009170222
Email: [email protected]

You may also like to contact the General Dental Council for more advice.

Or for Private Treatment:

The Dental Complaints Service
Stephenson House
2 Cherry Orchard Road
Croydon
CR0 6BA

Denplan Treatments: Tel. 0800 169 7220

You may also like to contact the General Dental Council for more advice.

General Dental Council
37 Wimpole Street
London
W1M 8DQ
Tel. 020 7887 3800
E-mail: [email protected]

For patients who have received private treatment:

Dental Complaints Service
37 Wimpole Street
London
W1G 8DQ
T: 0208 253 0800
W: https://dcs.gdc-uk.org/

For patients with a Denplan payment plan:

Denplan Clinical Mediation Service
Simplyhealth House
Victoria Road
Winchester
SO23 7RG
T: 0800 169 7220
E: [email protected]

The practice is regulated by the Regulation and Quality Authority who will take an oversight view of Complaints Management. Contact details below:

The Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority
1st Floor James House
Gasworks 2 – 4 Cromac Avenue
Belfast
BT7 2JA
T: 02895 361111 (Switchboard is manned 9am-5pm Monday to Friday) or by fax: 02890517501
E: [email protected]

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