Complaint Procedure
We understand that each patient’s needs and preferences are unique
We strive to provide the best service to all of our patients. If, however, you are not satisfied with the service and treatment you have received, there are steps you can take.
Leave suggestions and feedback:
If you have a criticism of our service, if you feel there are steps we could take to improve, or you wish to provide feedback on our services, we invite you to let us know.
We welcome patient feedback, comments and suggestions. All feedback is reviewed and discussed with the team, and shared with your SpaDental practice, if appropriate. Often improvements to our services and practices are identified and implemented in response to patient feedback.
Sending your feedback through this channel is not a formal complaint, but allows you to convey your opinions and suggestions in a comment box.
Fill in this form to share with us your feedback, opinions and suggestions
Lodge a complaint:
Sometimes patients’ problems require a formal investigation. If this is the case, patients lodge a formal request following our complaints procedure.
Please follow our Complaints Procedure outlined below, so we can help to resolve your concerns. You may be assured we will look into your complaint promptly and thoroughly.
If you are not entirely satisfied with any aspect of our care or service, please let us know as soon as possible, so we can address your concerns promptly. We will never discriminate against patients who have made a complaint or provided feedback.
SpaDental Complaints Procedure
When a problem arises requiring a formal complaint, we aim to resolve your complaint as efficiently, effectively and politely as possible. We take complaints very seriously, investigating them fully and fairly. We also take great care to protect your confidentiality.
Step 1: Patients most often choose to first make an informal, verbal complaint to the Practice Manager. This can be done in the practice, or by telephone .
Step 2: If you have a complaint that you have not been able to resolve verbally with your practice, please fill in this form online:
Fill in this form to make a formal complaint
Step 3: You will receive an automatic reply acknowledging safe receipt of your complaint. We will immediately begin to investigate the concern and appoint a Complaints Manager to be your point of contact to assist you with your complaint. Alternatively, one of the Head Office team will be appointed to manage the case if it is more appropriate.
Step 4: After submission of a written complaint via the form above, a letter, or an email to the practice, the appointed complaint manager will acknowledge your concern in writing within three working days and aim to provide a full written response as soon as practical.
Step 5: Throughout the process, we will keep comprehensive and confidential records of your complaint. We will store records securely and restrict access only to those people who need to know about your complaint. If the complaint investigation takes longer than anticipated, your Complaints Manager will keep you informed of the reason for the delay, the progress of the investigation and the proposed date it will be completed.
Step 6: When the investigation has been completed, you will be informed of its outcome in writing. If appropriate, we may contact you to discuss the result and any practical solutions we can offer you. These solutions could include further treatment, refunding fees paid, referring you to a specialist or other solutions to meet your needs and resolve the complaint.
SpaDental regularly analyses patient reviews, suggestions, concerns and complaints to learn from them how to improve our service. We appreciate your feedback, and act upon it.
Further contacts:
If you are dissatisfied with the response you receive from SpaDental, you can take the matter to an external regulator using the contacts below.
NHS patients:
From 1 July 2023 patients who wish to make a complaint about contracted NHS dental services should contact their local integrated care board (ICB), for advice and signposting.
Local ICBs will support patients and their representative with any concerns or complaints regarding primary care services, however, unless directly concerning the commissioning of the service will recommend any complaints are handled with the provider directly.
Find below the contact information for your local ICB:
ICB Somerset (For SpaDental Chard)
ICB Devon (For SpaDental Plymouth)
ICB Cornwall and Isles of Scilly (For SpaDental Saltash)
ICB Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin (For SpaDental Whitchurch)
- If you are still unhappy about your NHS complaint, you can contact the Parliamentary Health Ombudsman
(England) by calling 0345 015 4033 or visiting: www.ombudsman.org.uk.
Private patients:
- For private dental treatment you can contact the GDC private dental complaints service within 12 months of the treatment or within 12 months of becoming aware of the issue by calling: 020 8253 0800, or visiting: www.dentalcomplaints.org.uk
For concerns about practice standards you can also contact:
- The Care Quality Commission (CQC), the independent regulator of health and social care in England, by calling 03000 616161.
- The General Dental Council responsible for regulating all dental professionals. You can complain using their online form at: www.gdc-uk.org, or by calling: 0207 167 6000.
