Paul Lambden, chairman of Densura Indemnity, outlines a constructive, practical approach to responding to patient complaints.
Few professionals welcome a complaint, but a well-managed response can protect the patient relationship, support learning and reduce the risk of concerns escalating. The starting point is simple: ensure patients can easily find and understand your practice’s written complaints procedure.
Why a constructive response matters
Complaints can arise from clinical care, communication, access, fees, waiting times or a patient’s expectations not being met. However, a complaint is not necessarily an allegation of poor clinical treatment. It may instead show that a patient feels unheard, unclear about what has happened or disappointed by an aspect of service.
The GDC expects dental professionals to deal with complaints properly and professionally, respond within the time limits in their procedure and provide a constructive response. It also expects practices to use complaints to improve services and to keep a separate written record of complaints and responses.
Do not react defensively. Listen carefully, clarify what outcome the patient hopes for and involve them in the process. An early, respectful conversation may resolve misunderstandings before they become more difficult to manage.
Use the C.L.E.A.R. approach
Densura’s C.L.E.A.R. framework offers a useful structure for the first response:
- Calm emotions – remain professional and allow the patient to explain their concern
- Listen actively – focus on the patient’s account without interrupting or making assumptions
- Empathise – acknowledge the impact the experience has had on the patient
- Apologise – where appropriate, offer a sincere apology without delay
- Resolve – explain the next steps, investigate fairly and offer a practical solution where possible.
This is not a substitute for your practice procedure or professional advice. It is a way to keep the initial conversation calm, respectful and focused on what can be done next.
Act promptly and seek advice early
Acknowledge a complaint promptly, give the patient a copy of the complaints procedure and explain the anticipated timescale. If an investigation will take longer than expected, keep the patient updated. For NHS services in England, patients should expect an acknowledgement and the offer of a discussion about how their complaint will be handled within three working days.
Seek advice from your indemnity provider or defence organisation before sending a substantive response where there is a risk of a claim, a clinical incident, a request for records or a concern about regulatory action. Do not alter clinical records retrospectively. If a factual correction is needed, follow your practice’s record-keeping procedure and preserve a clear audit trail.
For NHS care in England, patients can complain directly to the provider or to the relevant commissioner; unresolved complaints may ultimately be considered by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman. Practices should make sure their information explains the appropriate independent options for the treatment provided.
Keep a clear record and learn from concerns
Keep a dated record of the concern, the people involved, communications, the investigation and the outcome. Store the complaints record separately from the patient record, while maintaining relevant contemporaneous clinical notes in the patient record.
Once a complaint is closed, consider what the practice can learn. A recurring concern about communication, consent, fees or access may point to a change in systems, training or patient information. Sharing lessons appropriately across the team can help prevent similar issues in future.
References
- General Dental Council: Principle 5 – Have a clear and effective complaints procedure
- NHS England: Feedback and complaints about NHS services.
Disclaimer
This article provides general professional information. Follow your local procedure and seek appropriate professional or legal advice for a specific complaint.
This article is sponsored by Densura.
