4 The correct answer is g). The workplace must abide by tax laws and the requirements of Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to operate a salary and wages system for its employees. This is a legal obligation to ensure that all personnel are paying the correct amount of tax and National Insurance to the government.
5 The correct answer is e). The information released is often used to highlight issues of inequality or safety but cannot contain any personal information about the persons or patients involved. Only statistical information can be released.
2 Complaints Handling
Multiple choice questions
1 Since 2015 all health and social care organisations must carry out a proper investigation and take corrective actions when care and treatment has gone wrong, and they are expected to be honest and keep the patient fully informed and supported throughout the process. Which one of the following options is the correct term for this requirement?Communication procedureComplaints handling procedureComplaints policyDuty of candourDuty of care
2 The General Dental Council requires all dental workplaces to have an in‐house patient complaint handling procedure in place, which should aim to fully resolve all complaints in a satisfactory and timely manner. Which one of the following options is the term used for the staff member delegated to ensure the procedure is followed correctly throughout?Complaints managerInvestigatorOmbudsmanResponsible personSupervisor
3 A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction by a patient about the service or treatment they have received, either within the dental workplace or when in communication with staff members. Which one of the following options is an action that the workplace must take once a complaint has been received?Accept liabilityAcknowledge receipt by the month endApologise unreservedly Provide details of the staff member involvedReport back to the patient by the timeline
4 Once a complaint has been successfully resolved by following the in‐house patient complaint handling procedure, the full written records of the whole incident must be retained by the workplace. Which one of the following options should be carried out with these records?Sent to Care Quality CommissionSent to General Dental CouncilShredded after 1 yearStored in central complaints fileStored in patient’s records
5 The General Dental Council requires all dental workplaces to have an in‐house patient complaint handling procedure in place, which should aim to fully resolve all complaints in a satisfactory and timely manner. The procedure should be followed upon receipt of every complaint to ensure each is handled in a consistent fashion. Which one of the following options should be the final action to be taken by the dental workplace when a complaint has been made?Acknowledge receiptInvestigate complaintProvide appeals informationSend written reportSet timescale
6 Many patients do not make a complaint because they wish to receive financial compensation but to receive an apology and an explanation of the event that generated the complaint. Which one of the following options is the most important aspect of a valid complaint in terms of the dental workplace and the team?Determine possible redressFind out how event occurredFind out what happenedLay blame where relevantLearn lessons to prevent recurrence
7 In the interests of good governance, the Care Quality Commission expect the dental workplace to give their patients the opportunity to comment on the care and service they have received by the dental team, whether it was a good experience or not. Which one of the following options is the least acceptable method of providing such comments?Complete a satisfaction surveyContact Care Quality CommissionPost comments on social mediaProvide testimonialsProvide written feedback
8 The General Dental Council (GDC) requires all dental workplaces to have an in‐house patient complaint handling procedure in place, which should aim to fully resolve all complaints in a satisfactory and timely manner. The procedure should be followed upon receipt of every complaint to ensure each is handled in a consistent fashion. Which one of the following options should be the second action to be taken by the dental workplace when a complaint has been made?Acknowledge receiptInvestigate complaintProvide appeals informationSend written reportSet timescale
9 When a patient has made a complaint to the dental workplace’s in‐house system and the matter has been investigated and closed, the patient may still feel unsatisfied and wish to take the matter further as a formal complaint. Which one of the following options is the organisation to whom NHS patients should complain in the first instance?Care Quality CommissionCommissioning bodyDental Complaints ServiceGeneral Dental CouncilHealth Service Ombudsman
10 Once a complaint has been received by the dental workplace, a written acknowledgement of its receipt must be sent to the patient with an indication of the next steps to be taken and a timescale for a response. The matter must then be investigated. Which one of the following options should not form part of the investigation?Admission of liabilityChecking of written recordsInterview with complainantInterview with staff involvedMeeting with complainant and staff involved
11 The General Dental Council requires all dental workplaces to have an in‐house patient complaint handling procedure in place, which should aim to fully resolve all complaints in a satisfactory and timely manner. The procedure should be followed upon receipt of every complaint to ensure each is handled in a consistent fashion. Which one of the following options should be the first action to be taken by the dental workplace when a complaint has been made?Acknowledge receiptInvestigate complaintProvide appeals informationSend written reportSet timescale
12 When a complaint has been fully investigated and found to be valid, it is usual procedure to reimburse the patient’s costs or offer free replacement treatment as a goodwill gesture, under legislation that covers the provision of services to customers (patients). Which one of the following options is the relevant legislation in these cases?Access to Health Records Act 1990Consumer Rights Act 2015Freedom of Information Act 2000General Data Protection Regulations 2018Health and Social Care Act 2008
13 The General Dental Council requires all dental workplaces to have an in‐house patient complaint handling procedure in place, which should aim to fully resolve all complaints in a satisfactory and timely manner. Which one of the following options is not a requirement of this in‐house procedure?Contact details for higher authoritiesDisplay number of complaints resolvedName of complaints managerOn display in reception areaWritten in plain language
14 The requirement for the dental team to have a clear and effective complaints procedure in place is enshrined in the General Dental Council (GDC) Standards document. Which one of the following options is the specific core ethical principle of professionalism in this document that deals with the issue of complaints and complaints handling?Principle 1Principle 3Principle 5Principle 7Principle 9
Extended matching questions
For each of the following complaints handling questions, select the single most appropriate answer from the option list. Each option might be used once, more than once or not at all.
1 Acknowledgement
2 Appeal
3 Investigation
4 Records
5 Report
6 Responsibility
7 Timescale
1 A patient has made a complaint to the dental workplace after stating he tripped on a loose piece of carpet in the waiting room and sprained his wrist while preventing himself from falling. The complaints manager has written to the patient denying the complaint and refusing a refund, as the incident was unwitnessed. Which one of the options listed is the stage of the complaints procedure that should be followed by the dissatisfied patient?
2 In line with the complaints handling policy of the dental workplace, information should be on display so that a patient is aware of the name of the person to whom they should address a complaint. Which one of the options listed is the stage of the complaints procedure that requires this