Yarde House Dental Surgeons

*** JEREMY LYLE IS NOW WITH US TWO DAYS A WEEK - WEDNESDAYS AND FRIDAYS ***

1. Our practice aims to provide dental care of a consistent quality, for all patients. We have management systems to help us and which define each practice member’s responsibilities when looking after you.

2. In proposing treatment we will take account of your own wishes. We will explain options, where appropriate, and costs, so that you can make an informed choice. We will always explain what we are doing.

3. We will do all we can to look after your general health. We will ask you about your general health, and about any medicines being taken. This helps us to treat you safely. We keep all information about you confidential.

4. Contamination control is also essential to the safety of our patients. Every practice member receives training in practice systems for contamination control.

5. We screen all patients for mouth cancer at routine checkups. We ask patients about tobacco and alcohol use because they increase your oral cancer risk.

6. Practice working methods are reviewed regularly at meetings of all staff. We encourage all staff to make suggestions for improving the care we give patients.

7. We regularly ask patients for their views on our services. We have systems for dealing promptly with patient complaints and for ensuring the lessons are learnt from any mistakes that we make.

8. All dentists in the practice take part in continuing professional education, meeting the General Dental Council’s requirements. We aim to keep up-to-date with current thinking on all aspects of general dentistry, including preventive care which reduces your need for treatment.

9. All staff joining the practice are given training in practice-wide procedures. Once a year, there is an individual review of training needs for everyone in the practice.

10. All members of the practice know of the need to ensure that dentists are working safely. In the unlikely event that a dentist in this practice becomes unfit to practise, we have systems to ensure that concerns are investigated and, if necessary, acted upon.

YARDE HOUSE COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE

If you have a complaint or concern about the service you have received from your dentist or any member of our staff, please let us know.

HOW TO COMPLAIN

We hope that most problems can be sorted out easily and quickly, often at the time they arise and with the person concerned. If your problem cannot be sorted out 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. This will enable us to establish what happened more easily. If it is not possible to do that, please let us have details of your complaint:

Within six months of the incident that caused the problem; or within six months of discovering that you have a problem, provided this is within twelve months of the incident.

Complaints should be addressed to Elaine Bate, our Practice Manager or telephone (01823) 340440. Alternatively, you may ask for an appointment with Elaine Bate or the dentist in order to discuss your concerns. He/She will explain the complaints procedure to you and will ensure that your concerns are dealt with promptly.

WHAT WE WILL DO

We shall acknowledge your complaint or concern within two working days of receipt. We will investigate your complaint within ten working days. We shall then offer you an explanation and/or a meeting to discuss the complaint.

In investigating your complaint we shall aim to:

Establish the facts.

Make it possible for you to discuss the problem with those concerned, if you would like this.

Make sure you receive an apology, where this is appropriate.

Identify what we can do to make sure the problem doesn't happen again.

COMPLAINING ON BEHALF OF SOMEONE ELSE

If you are complaining on behalf of a patient, we would adhere to the rules of confidentiality.

We would therefore need the patient’s permission for you to act on their behalf.

COMPLAINING TO THE HEALTH AUTHORITY

If you are not satisfied with the outcome of your complaint or concern you are entitled to contact the Health Authority Complaints Manager at The Primary Care Trust, East Reach House, East Reach, Taunton, Somerset, TA1 3EN.

DISABILITY POLICY

GUIDE DOGS

It would be most helpful if those patients with guide dogs could bring a friend along to sit in the waiting room with the dog whilst our dental nurse escorts the patient into, and back from, the surgery.

APPOINTMENTS FOR THE DISABLED PATIENT IN A WHEELCHAIR

Existing patients with disabilities will be made appointments on Monday afternoons when the dentist concerned can use the downstairs surgery of Mrs James. This would not apply to patients of Mr Moody or Mrs James as their surgery is on the ground floor.