We aim to provide all our patients with the best possible service and to achieve this we need your
cooperation.
If you are unable to keep your appointment, please make every effort to cancel it well in advance so that it
may be offered to someone else. Non-attendance and cancellations at short notice without a valid reason
deprives other patients of our services.
Appointments are often wasted as people do not attend. Over 40 appointments per month are being wasted.
These appointments could have been used by other patients.
As such, patients that fail to attend private appointments or do not cancel within 48 hours of the
appointment time will result in a £1 per minute charge for wasted appointment time. Any deposit placed for
the wasted appointment will be forfeited.
This is practice policy and is non-negotiable.
POLICY FOR FAILURE TO ATTEND
The first time a patient fails to attend a booked appointment we will send a letter, text, E-mail or phone call
reminding them that in future they must cancel appointments if they are unable to attend.
After 2 failed to attend appointments in 12 months we will advise you by letter or email that we will no
longer be able to treat you as an NHS patient. As a private patient you will be unable to book further
appointments without prior payment to secure the appointment.
To avoid being sent a Failed to attend letter please ensure that you cancel your appointment a minimum of
48hours hours before the appointment time. Anything cancelled after this time could count as a short notice
or failed appointment.
In this practice we take complaints very seriously and try to ensure that all patients are pleased with their
experience of our services. When patients complain, they are dealt with courteously and promptly so that the
matter is resolved as quickly as possible.
Complaints made to the practice
The person responsible for dealing with any complaints about the service is Dr Satnam Salotera
- If a patient complains on the telephone or at the reception desk, we will listen to his or her complaint.
- The member of staff will take brief details of the complaint and pass them on. If we cannot arrange this
within a reasonable period or if the patient does not wish to wait to discuss the matter, arrangements
will be made for someone to deal with it. - If the patient complains in writing the letter will be passed on immediately to our complaints lead.
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 including a copy of this Code of Practice within three
working days. You will be invited to discuss your concerns; we will seek to investigate the complaint
within the agreed response period of the complaint being received to explain the circumstances which
led to the complaint. If we are unable to investigate the complaint within this agreed time period, 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. This will be within 14 days of the compliant received
Proper and comprehensive records are kept of any complaint received. - Hampshire Terrace Dental Care welcomes all complaints; any patient that makes a complaint will not be
adversely treated due to having complained. If you do not wish to complain directly to the Practice you
can address your complaint directly to the relevant body.
Should a patient make a complaint or claim, we may need to provide information about the patient, and
treatment they have received, to insurers, indemnifiers or legal advisers.
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