NHS Treatment turned out to be private?!!!

Toothsmith

Result!!

wannabemedic

I've just been deregistered from the practice... unless I decide to go for "independent" (private) treatment next time. :mad:

They say that my dentist is leaving and have addressed each of us (family members) saying we should call NHS Direct to find another NHS dentist or can stay registered with them if we go private.

I just looked at my first post and realised this could be a trick - they were told off by the PCT some time back for trying to pressure and scare patients into signing up privately with a sister practice.

A few years ago the last dentist (who was "our" dentist) left and was replaced by the guy who is leaving now. What's so different this time? Aren't they getting an NHS dentist to replace him? Just two weeks ago they were advertising for new NHS patients to join the practice. I really do hope my complaint and refund has nothing to do with this... I'd appreciate your advice as I'm not sure what to do.

We would sign up with another practice but a quick search on the NHS Direct site shows all local ones are not accepting new patients.

bank_of_slate

Contact the PCT!
They should invite other practices in the area to 'bid' for the practice's NHS contract value!
...Linda xx

Toothsmith

Easily possible that with the trouble they've had with that practice, the PCT has decided not to pass on the NHS contract to the new dentist at that practice. They can do that.

Agree with BoS above - contact the PCT and see what's going on. it might be that another practice has got the NHS funding for that practice.

It's also possible that the PCT is strapped for cash, and has decided to 'divert' the dental cash into some big hole in it's budget. Technically, they shouldn't do that, but not all PCTs play by the rules either.

wannabemedic

Thanks both yes the local NHS trust is running a defecit of 1 million or so... :rotfl:

I will call the PCT and find out about the NHS contract. The problem is I am currently exempt (but won't be from about June). My checkup is scheduled for July so the issue is signing up with an NHS dentist should I have any problems before then. Otherwise I'd have no qualms about going private as the costs seem pretty similar if not a bit less.

Toothsmith

If they can't tell you where the money has been redirected to in terms of new dental provision, I would ask them how you go about complaining about how they're doing their job!!

That should put the cat amongst the pigeons!!

bank_of_slate

You could always go direct to the Healthcare Commission!
that would also release afore mentioned feline amongst the feathery friends.
...Linda xx

cleo1299

Toothsmith wrote: »

Incidentally, The General Dental Council now run a complaints proceedure for patients with complaints against Private dental treatment.

It's called the Dental Complaints Service. I just recently complained to them, about a bill which I considered excessive. (Sorry to be replying to an old thread -- this one seems to be the only one that mentions the Dental Complaints Service)

Before I complained to the Dental Complaints Service, I had already complained directly to the dental service provider, and they had acknowledged (in writing) that I should have been informed what it would cost BEFORE the appointment. However, despite that acknowledgment, the next thing I heard from them was a letter threatening "debt collection procedures" if I didn't pay the bill in full. So I complained to the Dental Complaints Service.

The DCS rang me up, and advised me to pay the bill and then ask for a partial refund. I felt uneasy about this advice, as it seemed to be putting all the power in the hands of the dental services provider. Once they had the money, they could say no to my request for a refund and there would be little that I could do.

The DCS stated that they would ALWAYS advise people to pay a dental bill, and that they would NEVER advise legal action. They also stated that they would not contact the dental services provider to try to negotiate a settlement. Apparently that's not something they do. They rang me up, to advise me to pay the bill, but they don't ring the provider up, to advise them to reach a settlement. And she was not interested in the fact that the provider had already acknowledged that I should have been informed about the cost before the appointment. The DCS advisor said they don't get involved with things like that. I'm not sure exactly what she meant.

The DCS is run by the General Dental Council, which is basically a trade association. And yet, apparently, their complaint service does not contact the people you're complaining against, and does not get involved with whether or not a bill is justified. They just advise you to pay it and ask for a refund.

Instead of taking the DCS advice, I sought legal advice through my insurance (they run a legal helpline). The solicitor advised me to (a) write to the dental service provider reminding them that the matter was under dispute, and asking them to suspend the threatened debt collection procedures until the problem had been resolved; and (b) once the threat of debt collectors was suspended, send a cheque for what I felt I owed, writing on the back of the cheque "In full and final settlement etc". That's the advice I am going to follow. I don't know if it will work or not, but if they refuse to accept my offer, I'll know that they would also have refused to give me a refund if I had followed the advice of the Dental Complaints Service.

I would be interested to know if anyone else has tried complaining to the Dental Complaints Service, perhaps with a more satisfactory outcome.

alison999

Have you already complained to the practice that about the cost of your treatment? You only say you werent told how much it would be BEFORE you had it done. Out of interest, did you never think to ask?

cleo1299

alison999 wrote: »

Have you already complained to the practice that about the cost of your treatment? You only say you werent told how much it would be BEFORE you had it done. Out of interest, did you never think to ask?

Yes, as stated, before I contacted the Dental Complaints Service I had already complained to the dental service providers, and they had responded, acknowledging that I should have been told the cost before the appointment. They apologized, but the next thing I got from them was this threat of debt collectors. That's why I contacted the Dental Complaints Service.

This was private dental service provided in an NHS dental hospital. I was initially referred there to be assessed for endodontic treatment as an NHS patient, but for reasons that I still don't understand, I was unable to get assessed as an NHS patient. Eventually, since I really needed the treatment, I accepted an appointment for private treatment in the hospital. I received a letter beforehand, telling me what the cost of the initial consultation would be.

That treatment worked out really well. The dentist who treated me was absolutely brilliant and did a terrific job. I was so pleased with the outcome (even though I did have to pay what for me was quite a lot of money -- about £800) that I asked this dentist if I could also get another problem treated at the hospital. He referred me to another dentist, and I was seen by her a few weeks later. I didn't receive any information about charges, as I had when I saw the endodontist, and I just assumed the charge for the initial consultation would be the same as it had been for the initial consultation with the endodontist. However, the invoice I received was for more than twice as much. It's that invoice that is in dispute. (I didn't proceed with having any work done by the second dentist, because when I asked her how much it would cost she quoted a hairraising price which I could not afford.)

So you are right, it would have been better if I had not assumed that the price of the second "initial consultation" would be the same or about the same as for the first "initial consultation". I would have saved myself this hassle if I had thought to double-check. However, I do not believe that because I fell into this mistake, the dental service providers should be free to charge whatsoever they please. Fortunately, the Office of Fair Trading doesn't think so either. I did some browsing on their website, when I first received the troublesome invoice, trying to understand whether or not I had reasonable grounds for disputing it. I came across a report of an OFT investigation into the private dental market. Transparency of pricing was one of the six main areas of concern which they highlighted in their report.

The report makes interesting reading, for anybody having problems with private dentistry. It is called "The private dentistry market in the UK" and was published in 2003. So it doesn't necessarily reflect the current state of things, but it's still relevant in cases like this, where the problems of 2003 seem to be still persisting.