Last updated on November 11th, 2023
NHS dentistry is an escalating problem, rather than being an equal and affordable dental care option. According to the Healthwatch report, the number of positive feedback fell dramatically, and only 3% of people told about a positive experience.
Many people are complaining about the NHS, and they have really good reasons most of the time. In this post, you will read about the NHS complaint procedure in the UK. In addition to providing a small guide to the legal complaint process, you will also be introduced to a feasible dental treatment abroad destination, Turkey.
What Is An NHS Complaint?
An NHS complaint refers to the complaints you can make when you experience a problem with the health service provided by the NHS. The NHS complaints can be about the things that the organization did or didn’t. Also, you may want them to answer your concerns so that you feel more satisfied or do things right in your treatment.
How To Make An NHS Complaint?
The NHS complaints are very common, and dealing with them all is not easy for the officials. Therefore, following a guideline to make your complaints will yield more effective results for you.
First, you should learn about the procedure of NHS complaints within the organization that you have received the health care. In general, you should consider the timing. The sooner you make your complaint about an unsatisfactory service, the sooner your problem can be solved.
Most of the time, a written complaint works better as it can be recorded more easily. Also, in your written or verbal complaint, you should include information about yourself with a clear explanation of the case (who, when, where, how? …etc.). If there are any documents to make your complaint clearer or stronger, you should add them to your NHS complaints.
How Long Does An NHS Complaint Take?
According to NHS, there isn’t a set timeframe for the completion of your complaint. However, once you make your complaints, they acknowledge your letter within 3 days. If you don’t get any acknowledgment, you should call or write again to check the status of your complaint. This acknowledgment letter usually shows what they understand from your complaint and how they will deal with that. You can also get an estimated time frame for your complaint to be solved.
What Are The NHS Problems People Are Facing?
There are numerous NHS complaints in every field in health care, and dental care is no exception. Many people have NHS complaints about the dental care they are given. Although the complaints are many, they can be grouped into three super categories: no equitable dental care, no affordable dental care, and long waiting times for appointments.
1- No Equitable Dental Care
To maintain proper healthcare, efficiency can’t be separated from equity. However, many NHS complaints involve issues with a lack of equity. Any dental complaint due to a lack of equity may create social problems in addition to individual health disorders. Once everyone in society receives equitable dental care regardless of their ethnic and gender background, color, religion…etc., the population becomes healthier, and it yields better outcomes.
2- No Affordable Dental Care
Healthcare is getting more and more expensive. A lot of people are complaining about dental care that lacks affordability. 61% of the people think that NHS dental care is expensive, according to Healthwatch. Therefore, it is not surprising that many patients have difficulty paying for NHS dental care. In fact, some of them just avoid getting dental treatment since they cannot afford private dental care, either.
3- Up To Three Years Waiting Times For An Appointment
Another common problem that NHS patients face is too long waiting times for their appointments. A Healthwatch survey showed that waiting lists are so long that some patients are supposed to wait up to three years for an appointment. Unfortunately, most dental problems worsen, and they try to survive on painkillers, which might lead to more severe problems.
How Does Dental Treatment In Turkey Solve NHS Complaints?
Since the NHS is becoming more and more chaotic in the UK and many other countries globally, people have started to look for alternative destinations to get their dental treatment under better conditions.
Turkey, for example, is a superb destination for millions of people having trouble with dental care in their homeland. But, how can Turkey stand as one of the best dental care abroad destinations in this highly competitive sector?
1- Affordability
Affordability is one of the most common NHS complaints. Although people live on high life standards, they still have a budget, and they don’t want to pay for a single implant for one or two years long. Dental treatment in Turkey is way more affordable than in the UK. For example, the cost of a single dental implant is around €2000, while it is around €500 in Turkey. It means a significant amount of money saved even if you add the costs of travel and accommodation.
2- Shorter Waiting Times
For some people, a long waiting time before the treatment or between two treatments is a bigger problem than its cost. Turkey is also renowned for its incredibly short waiting time before and during the treatments. Dental clinics in Turkey are even trying to minimize the waiting time.
Maltepe Dental Clinic offers high-quality VIP dental care service in 7 clinic rooms, and the whole team works dedicatedly to finish the treatments on time. Thus, cosmetic treatments take less than a week, and implants can be completed in 4 months in Maltepe Dental Clinic. This amazing speed can save many teeth, indeed.
3- International Culture
Due to its rich intercultural heritage, the lack of equity in dental treatment has never been an issue in Turkey. Turkey is at the crossroads of Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. Therefore, traveling to Turkey, especially to Istanbul, is pretty easy. Many clinics are already located in Istanbul, so patients can see the places to visit in Istanbul. Also, they can enjoy the nightclubs in Istanbul too. All the venues are full of people from different countries.
As you see, millions of people go to Turkey for various treatments as well as tourist reasons. Many people go to Istanbul for dental treatments, and they come from diverse backgrounds. Maltepe Dental Clinic has patients from 40 different countries with various ethnicities in its portfolio.
Bottom Line
Although NHS complaints are swelling up, dental care abroad stands as a feasible alternative for the patients. Turkey is one of the most attractive destinations for dental care abroad due to its affordable prices, short waiting periods, equitable access to high-quality service, and mind-blowing tourist attractions.
