Practical Complaints Handling

Contents

This webinar explains the practicalities of designing, setting up and running an effective in-house complaints procedure, including some of the communication, analytical, negotiating and other skills required of the ideal complaints manager. It provides practical tips for identifying what a complaint is really about, and how to respond in a way which makes it more likely that a dissatisfied patient will give your in-house procedures a chance to work and resolve the dissatisfaction, rather than escalating a complaint to another body such as the GDC, DCS or a solicitor.

Learning objectives

As a result of completing this webinar programme, participants will:-

• Recognise the sources of patient dissatisfaction and what outcomes a complainant might be hoping for
• Understand the essentials of a consistently effective complaints process- and why it works
• Understand the attitudes and practical skills required for effective complaints management and how to apply them – including listening skills, verbal and non-verbal communication, the ingredients of an effective written response, and additional skills such as emotional intelligence, assertiveness, analytical, negotiating and influencing skills
• Be able to review the effectiveness of their own complaints handling procedures

This talk satisfies the GDC’s learning outcome:

• A – Effective communication with patients, the dental team, and others across dentistry, including when obtaining consent, dealing with complaints, and raising concerns when patients are at risk

Speaker

Kevin Lewis

Kevin Lewis qualified from The London Hospital in 1971. He spent 20 years in full time general dental practice and 10 further years practising part time.  He was the Dental Director of Dental Protection for 16 years and also an Executive member of the Council (Board of Directors) of the Medical Protection Society. Kevin has been writing a regular column in the dental press since 1981 – originally as the Associate Editor of Dental Practice and since 2006 as the Consultant Editor of Dentistry magazine.  He still writes and lectures regularly all over the world, and has been awarded honorary membership of the British, Irish and New Zealand Dental Associations.