SpaDental Policy: Patient Dismissal
Patient Dismissal
SpaDental is committed to fulfilling a duty of care to our patients, and to our team members, who all have the right to work or attend for dental appointments in a safe and respectful environment.
Unfortunately, and occasionally, the relationship between a patient and the practice breaks down irrevocably. In these instances, SpaDental reserves the right to refuse patients access to treatment, to minimise the potential risk to other patients and our teams and to fulfil our duty of care.
This is not a decision which is taken lightly and SpaDental does not discriminate against or refuse access to treatment because a patient has raised a complaint or concerns about treatment completed.
The following circumstances may justify the removal of patients from our list.
Disruptive or Disrespectful behaviour
This includes all forms of unacceptable or threatening behaviour, physical or verbal abuse; discriminatory behaviour or abuse or other unreasonable behaviour, towards team members, or other patients. Inappropriate behaviour or persistent and unwelcome attention towards team members or other patients is also not tolerated.
Criminal Behaviour
Criminal or fraudulent behaviour, includes: stealing from the premises, deliberately obtaining drugs for non-medical reasons, and attempting to use the dentist to conceal or aid criminal activity.
Irreconcilable differences
When the relationship between the dentist/clinician and the patient breaks down to the point where the clinician no longer feels capable of providing an appropriate level of patient care, then the patient’s needs will be better served elsewhere.
Patients with additional requirements
SpaDental aims to offer dental treatment to all patients. However, there may be patients whose dental care requires facilities or treatment outside the remit of our clinicians or our practice facilities. In these instances, where possible, SpaDental will try to assist the patient in finding alternative care.
Persistent missed appointments
Patients may be refused access to treatment for persistent late cancellations or failure to attend. Please see our Cancellation and Failure to Attend Policy for more information.
Changes in treatment provision
The number of patients who can attend the practice depends on many factors including surgery capacity and the availability of clinicians to provide treatment.
Some SpaDental practices offer NHS funded treatment which also depends on local funding arrangements. If local circumstances dictate that patient numbers must be reduced or amended to match clinical availability, alternative provision will be offered where possible, although some patients may be refused further access to NHS treatment. In these circumstances, to avoid discrimination, those patients who are removed from the patient list will be selected on a randomised basis.
Thank you for your understanding
SpaDental gives serious consideration to all circumstances leading to patient dismissal. On occasion it is, however, a necessary step to ensure the wellbeing of the dental team and other patients is protected.
Copies of all correspondence regarding the refusal of access are filed and retained with the patient records.
