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Case ref:201406169
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Date:July 2015
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Body:A Dentist in the Tayside NHS Board area
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Sector:Health
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Outcome:Not upheld, no recommendations
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Subject:clinical treatment / diagnosis
Summary
Mr C complained that his dental practice had failed to make a referral to the dental hospital within a reasonable timescale. Mr C had teeth which required extraction, and he said that it had taken a long time to get an appointment for this procedure to be carried out. Mr C had other health conditions which meant that once they had received his referral, the dental hospital had made contact with other health professionals involved in Mr C's care to ensure that his treatment could take place. Whilst we recognised that the delay was frustrating for Mr C, we did not find any evidence that any delay was caused by the practice.
Mr C also complained that he had been asked to make a payment to secure an appointment with his dentist and was told this was because he had previously cancelled appointments. Mr C was unhappy with this as he said he had always had good reason to cancel and had given sufficient notice. We considered that the dentist had acted reasonably as Mr C had cancelled a number of appointments late or failed to attend. It was, therefore, not unreasonable for the dentist to apply the practice's policy of charges for failed appointments.