At Peelhouse Dental Care, we take complaints very seriously and aim to ensure that all our patients are satisfied with the care and service they receive. We recognise that concerns may occasionally arise and are committed to handling all complaints fairly, courteously, promptly and confidentially.
We welcome feedback and use complaints as an opportunity to review and improve our services.
Complaints Manager
The person responsible for managing complaints at the practice is:
Joanne Marsden – Practice Manager
Peelhouse Dental Care
23 Peel House Lane
Widnes, Cheshire, WA8 6TN
Telephone: 0151 424 2516
Email: complaints@peelhousedental.co.uk
Patients may raise a complaint in person, by telephone, by email or in writing.
How We Handle Complaints
- If a patient complains by telephone or at reception, we will listen carefully and attempt to resolve the matter promptly. If the complaint cannot be resolved by the person receiving it, it will be referred to Joanne Marsden, our Complaints Manager, within 24 hours.
- If Joanne is unavailable, the patient will be advised when they can expect to speak with her, and the details of the complaint will be recorded and passed to her.
- Written complaints, including those received by email, will be forwarded to the Complaints Manager within 24 hours.
- We will acknowledge complaints in writing within 48 hours and provide a copy of our complaints procedure where appropriate.
- We aim to investigate complaints and provide an explanation or response within five working days of receipt. Where appropriate, we may offer to discuss the matter with the patient in person or by telephone.
- If we cannot complete our investigation within five working days, we will explain the reason for the delay and provide an anticipated response date. We aim to complete investigations within ten working days wherever possible.
- Where a complaint concerns clinical treatment, the relevant clinician will be involved in the investigation and response as appropriate.
- All complaints will be documented and handled confidentially, in accordance with our data protection obligations.
For complaints concerning regulated consumer credit or patient finance, the applicable financial complaints procedures and regulatory response deadlines will be followed. Where the complaint falls within our responsibility, we will issue a final response within eight weeks, or explain the delay and the patient’s referral rights where required.
If You Are Not Satisfied With Our Response
We always aim to resolve complaints directly with our patients. However, if you remain dissatisfied, you may contact the appropriate independent organisation.
Dental Complaints Service
For complaints about private dental treatment:
Dental Complaints Service
Telephone: 020 8253 0800
Website: www.dentalcomplaints.org.uk
General Dental Council (GDC)
For concerns about a dental professional’s fitness to practise:
General Dental Council
37 Wimpole Street
London, W1G 8DQ
Telephone: 020 7167 6000
Website: www.gdc-uk.org
The GDC regulates dental professionals but does not generally resolve individual complaints or award compensation.
Financial Ombudsman Service
If your complaint relates to a regulated consumer credit agreement or financial service and you are dissatisfied with our final response, you may have the right to refer your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service free of charge.
You must normally refer your complaint within six months of the date of our final response. If you have not received a final response within eight weeks, you may also be entitled to contact the Financial Ombudsman Service.
Financial Ombudsman Service
Telephone: 0800 023 4567
Email: complaint.info@financial-ombudsman.org.uk
Website: www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk
Where a complaint concerns a finance provider rather than the practice, we will help identify the appropriate organisation to contact.
Our Commitment
We are committed to treating every complaint seriously, fairly and respectfully. We will ensure that patients are not disadvantaged for raising concerns and will use feedback to improve the care and service we provide.
Complaints Manager: Joanne Marsden
Practice: Peelhouse Dental Care
Last reviewed: October 2026