Complaints Procedure For Duffield Dental Practice

Last updated: 22/04/2026

PLEASE SEE OUR COMPLAINTS POLICY HERE

Duffield Dental Practice is committed to providing high-quality care. However, if you are unhappy with any aspect of your experience, we encourage you to let us know so we can address your concerns promptly and professionally.

This Complaints Procedure explains how you can raise a concern and how we will respond.

1. How to Make a Complaint

You can make a complaint in any of the following ways:

a. Verbally

Speak to any member of our team.
If the issue cannot be resolved immediately, it will be passed to the Practice Manager for review.

b. In Writing

Please send written complaints to:

Practice Manager
Duffield Dental Practice
59 King Street, Belper,DE56 4EU
Email: info@duffielddentist.co.uk
Tel: 01332 840780

Please include:

  • Your name and contact details
  • Details of your concern
  • Dates, times, or staff members involved (if known)
  • How you would like the issue resolved

2. Our Response Times

We aim to:

  • Acknowledge your complaint within 3 working days
  • Provide a full written response within 10 working days
    If further investigation is needed, we will notify you and provide a revised time frame.

3. How We Handle Complaints

All complaints are handled confidentially and sensitively.

Our process includes:

  1. Acknowledging your complaint promptly
  2. Investigating the matter thoroughly with the relevant staff
  3. Reviewing your clinical records (if appropriate)
  4. Providing a clear explanation of our findings
  5. Offering solutions, such as:
    • An apology
    • Corrective treatment (if clinically appropriate)
    • Procedural improvements
    • Further discussion with the clinician or manager

We aim to resolve complaints fairly and transparently.

4. If You Are Still Unsatisfied

If you feel your complaint has not been resolved, you may escalate it to:

a. Dental Complaints Service (For Private Dental Treatment)

The Dental Complaints Service
Website: www.dentalcomplaints.org.uk
Phone: 020 8253 0800

b. Care Quality Commission (General Practice Standards)

The CQC cannot resolve individual complaints but accepts concerns about overall care standards.
Website: www.cqc.org.uk

c. General Dental Council

For concerns about professional conduct.
Website: www.gdc-uk.org

5. Complaints About NHS Treatment (If Applicable)

If any NHS care is provided at the practice, complaints can also be directed to:

NHS England – Midlands
Email: england.contactus@nhs.net
Website: www.england.nhs.uk/contact-us/complaint

6. Learning From Complaints

We analyse complaints regularly to identify areas for improvement in:

  • Clinical care
  • Communication
  • Patient experience
  • Practice processes

Staff receive ongoing training to maintain compassionate, patient-centred service.

7. Confidentiality

All complaints are handled in accordance with:

  • UK GDPR
  • The Data Protection Act 2018
  • NHS and GDC confidentiality guidelines

We will not disclose details to third parties without your consent unless required by law.

8. Contact for Complaints

If you wish to raise a concern or request support with the process, please contact:

Practice Manager
Duffield Dental Practice
Email: info@duffielddentist.co.uk
Tel: 01332 840780