Policies
Failure to attend and Cancellation policy
The first time a patient fails to attend a booked appointment we will send a text or E-mail reminding them that in future they must cancel appointments if they are unable to attend.
After 2 failed to attend texts or E-mails we will advise you that we will no longer be able to treat you as an NHS patient/ Unable to book further appointments without prior payment to secure the appointment.
To avoid being sent a Failed to attend text/email please ensure that you cancel your appointment a minimum of 48 hours before the appointment time. Anything cancelled after this time could count as a failed appointment.
Failed appointments will be charged as follow:
Hygienists 30 minute appointment – £22.00
Dental treatment will be charged at £1.00 per minute missed
Short notice cancellation policy
If a patient cancels an appointment with less than 48 hours notice they may be charged a short notice cancellation fee or asked to pay a deposit before re-booking the appointment.
The short notice cancellation fee is as follows:
Hygienists 30 minute appointment – £22.00
Dental Treatment will be charged at £1.00 per minute missed.
After 3 or more short notice cancellations we will advise you that we will no longer be able to treat you as an NHS patient/ Unable to book further appointments without prior payment to secure the appointment.
complaints policy
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. If you have a complaint or concern about the service you have received from the dentist or any of the staff working at this practice, please let us know. We operate a practice complaints procedure for dealing with complaints. Our complaints system meets national criteria. We hope that most problems can be resolved easily and quickly, often at the time they arise and with the person concerned. If your problem cannot be sorted out this way and you wish to make a complaint, we will respond to your complaint within three working days, enabling us to establish what happened more easily. If it is not possible to do that, please let us have details of your complaint within 12 months of the incident that caused the problem. Complaints should be addressed to Satnam Salotera – Complaints Manager, or Donna Leggett – Deputy Complaints Manager. You may ask for an appointment in order to discuss your concerns. We will explain the complaints procedure to you and will ensure that your concerns are dealt with promptly. It will be a great help if you are as specific as possible about your complaint. A full copy of our complaints procedure can be supplied upon request.
Should you wish to make a direct complaint to the ICB or other external body please contact:
https://www.hantsiowhealthandcare.org.uk/icb
Parliamentary & Health Service Ombudsman
Millbank Tower
Millbank
London
SW1P 4QP
Telephone: 0345 15 4033
Email: www.ombudsman.org.uk
Dental Complaints Service
37 Wimpole Street
London W1G 8DQ
Telephone: 0845 222 4141 or 020 7887 3800
General Dental Council
37 Wimpole Street
London
W1G DQ
Telephone: 0845 222 4141 or 020 7887 3800
Email: www.gdc-uk.org
NHS attendance
As an NHS patient you are required to attend at least one dental check-up every two years.
Failure to do so may risk your NHS space at the practice.
Appointment Policy
A deposit of £60 will be required to confirm your consultation appointment. This deposit will cover your initial appointment at the practice.
We understand that unexpected circumstances arise, requiring you to cancel or reschedule your appointment. However, we kindly request that you provide us with a minimum of 48 hours’ notice if you make any changes. This allows us to offer the appointment slot to another patient who may be in need of our services.
Should you cancel your appointment without providing 48 hours’ notice, the deposit will be non-refundable. This policy ensures we can manage our schedule effectively and continue to provide timely and efficient care to all our patients.