Kesgrave Dental Care

Privacy Notice for Patients (Including Children)

This privacy notice explains how Kesgrave Dental Care collects, uses, and protects your personal information when you join the practice or receive treatment.

We are committed to protecting your information in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018, NHS requirements, and professional standards.

Data Controller

Kesgrave Dental Care is the data controller. The person responsible for data protection is Dr Emma Grant.

What information we collect

We may collect and process:

• Personal details, including your name, address, date of birth, telephone number, and email address.
• NHS number and exemption status, where applicable.
• Medical history and GP details.
• Dental records, including X-rays, photographs, and clinical notes.
• Treatment plans, consent records, and correspondence.
• Financial information relating to your care.
• Records of communications, complaints, or incidents.
• Emergency contact and family member details.

Why we collect your data

We collect and use your information to:

• Provide safe, appropriate dental care and treatment.
• Maintain accurate clinical records.
• Manage NHS requirements, where applicable.
• Communicate with you about appointments and care.
• Comply with legal and regulatory obligations.

Legal basis for processing

We process your data under the following lawful bases:

• Provision of health and social care under UK GDPR Article 9(2)(h).
• Legitimate interests, including the delivery of care and the defence of legal claims.
• Legal obligations.
• Consent, where required.

Sharing your information

We only share your information when necessary and securely.

National Data Opt-Out

The NHS and other health and care organisations may use confidential patient information for purposes beyond your individual care.

You have a choice about whether your confidential patient information is used in this way.

If you are happy for your information to be used, you do not need to do anything. If you do not want your information to be used, you can opt out.

Your decision will not affect your care.

Find out more or opt out at: www.nhs.uk/your-nhs-data-matters

How we store your information

Your information is stored securely on protected computer systems.

Retention of records

We retain records for a minimum of 11 years.

Your rights

You have the right to access, correct, or request deletion of your data. Some information may need to be retained where required by law, regulation, or professional standards.

Concerns

If you have concerns about how we use your information, please contact Kesgrave Dental Care or our data protection lead, Dr Emma Grant.

You may also contact the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for advice or to raise a concern.

Kesgrave Dental Care

Missed Appointment Policy

At our practice, we understand that life is unpredictable and schedules can change. Our Missed Appointment Policy is designed with both fairness and compassion in mind, ensuring that we can continue to offer the high-quality, personalised care that every patient deserves.

Cancellations and Rescheduling

We kindly ask that if you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment, please provide us with at least 24 hours' notice. This allows us to reallocate your slot to another patient in need of our care. For appointments exceeding 60 minutes, we appreciate as much notice as possible, ideally 48 hours.

Missed Appointments

A missed appointment is considered as any instance where a patient does not attend their scheduled appointment without providing at least 24 hours' notice. Missed appointments hinder our ability to provide care to other patients who could benefit from our services. There is a fee of £1 per minute of the missed appointment.

Reminders for Your Convenience

To help you remember your appointment, we offer a complimentary text and email reminder service. If you're not already subscribed and would like to take advantage of this service, please speak with our reception team who will be delighted to assist you.

Policy on Non-attendance and Late Arrivals

To ensure fairness and availability of our services to all patients:

• New patients who do not attend their first appointment will regrettably not be offered a subsequent appointment.
• Existing patients who miss two appointments within a year may be unable to book further treatments or appointments.

We are fully aware that sometimes, circumstances beyond our control can affect our plans. While we apply common sense and flexibility in applying our policies, we kindly ask for your cooperation and respect in managing your appointments. This ensures that we can maintain fairness and accessibility for all our patients.

Please note, any form of abuse towards other patients or our staff members is strictly unacceptable.

Your understanding and cooperation help us create a safe, warm, and welcoming environment for all our patients and staff. Thank you for being a valued member of our practice community.

Kesgrave Dental Care

Complaints Policy

We always welcome your feedback, comments and suggestions. For any concerns you wish to raise with us please do speak to our staff directly.

If you have a complaint or concern about the service you have received from the dentist or any of the staff working at this practice, please let us know. We operate a practice complaints procedure for dealing with complaints. Our complaints system meets national criteria.

How to complain

We hope that most problems can be resolved easily and quickly, often at the time they arise and with the person concerned. If your problem cannot be sorted out this way and you wish to make a complaint, we will respond to your complaint within three working days, enabling us to establish what happened more easily. If it is not possible to do that, please let us have details of your complaint within 12 months of the incident that caused the problem.

Complaints should be addressed to Dr Emma Grant - Complaints Manager, or Sunkanmi Olaore – Deputy Complaints Manager. You may ask for an appointment in order to discuss your concerns. We will explain the complaints procedure to you and will ensure that your concerns are dealt with promptly. It will be a great help if you are as specific as possible about your complaint.

What shall we do

We shall acknowledge your complaint within 3 working days and aim to investigate your complaint within 10 working days of the date when you raised it with us. We shall then be in a position to offer you an explanation, or a meeting with the people involved. When we investigate your complaint, we shall aim to:

• Find out what happened and what went wrong
• 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

Should a patient make a complaint or claim, we may need to provide information about the patient, and treatment they have received, to insurers, indemnifiers or legal advisers.

Complaining on behalf of someone else

Please note that we keep strictly to the rules of clinical confidentiality. If you are complaining on behalf of someone else, we must know that you have their permission to do so. A note signed by the person concerned will be needed, unless they are incapable (because of physical and mental illness) of providing this.

Complaining to Dental Complaints Service

We hope that, if you have a problem, you will make use of our practice complaints procedure. We believe this will provide the best chance of putting right whatever has gone wrong and an opportunity to improve our practice. However, this does not affect your right to complain to an independent body, if you feel you cannot raise your complaint with us or you are dissatisfied with the result of our investigation.

Complaining to Dental Complaints Service

We hope that, if you have a problem, you will make use of our practice complaints procedure. We believe this will provide the best chance of putting right whatever has gone wrong and an opportunity to improve our practice. However, this does not affect your right to complain to an independent body, if you feel you cannot raise your complaint with us or you are dissatisfied with the result of our investigation.

For further advice, you should contact:

Dental Complaints Service
37 Wimpole Street
London, W1G 8DQ
Telephone: 020 8253 0800
(Monday – Friday 9am – 5pm)

General Dental Council
37 Wimpole Street
London, W1G 8DQ
Email: www.gdc-uk.org
Telephone: 0845 222 4141 or 020 7887 3800

Complaints and the CQC

The CQC don't get directly involved with complaints made to the practice. They do, however, encourage giving feedback for service providers. To send feedback to the CQC, please go to: https://www.cqc.org.uk/give-feedback-on-care or Telephone: 03000 616161 Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5.30pm Excluding bank holidays

Kesgrave Dental Care

Emergency Appointment Policy

A dental emergency means you require urgent assistance for severe pain, swelling, trauma or other serious dental problem.

Our receptionist is here to guide you, either by arranging a prompt emergency appointment or offering advice on temporary pain relief until you can see a dentist. Once assessed, if your situation is deemed urgent, rest assured we strive to fit you in on the same or next day. For non-urgent dental matters, we promise to address them within a week.

When to Visit A&E

Generally, you should avoid going to A&E for a dental emergency, unless you are experiencing:

• Uncontrollable bleeding in your mouth
• Swelling that affects your breathing or swallowing
• Swelling around your eye or neck

Emergency Appointment Fee

Emergency appointments are £65 in addition to any treatment required.

Please note, any form of abuse towards other patients or our staff members is not tolerated.

Your understanding and cooperation help us create a safe, warm, and welcoming environment for all our patients and staff. Thank you for being a valued member of our practice community.