ENGLAND - How do I get dental treatment and make a complaint?
I have a seizure disorder, specifically non epileptic. Last August, I was referred to get my wisdom teeth removed. At this point, they were a soft tissue impaction, but I was referred for a OTC scan and a surgical extraction as a local anaesthesia would likely go badly (digging around in the mouth of someone who could start convulsing is they get stressed is generally a bad idea)
I was referred by the NHS to a company that were contracted to clear some of the NHS backlog.
At first, they booked me for an extraction and a scan on the same day. They called me back a few days later and said due to logistics and the fact I was referred for my OTC scan I could not have this appointment as there was no OTC at the location. I was promoted to reschedule.
It was at this point I specified what I needed with a surgical extraction - as specified in the referal body of the letter. They said they did not know about my seizures. I told them to make note.
I get my OTC, they are badly impacted now from the long wait time. I am in significant pain and have developed some nasty trigeminal neuralgia. It has also been almost a year since my original referral at this point.
I go to book my appointment for extraction and specify that I needed an anaesthesia due to my seizures.
They book me in for a local. And text me the next day and say I’ve been rescheduled for logistics.
I call them up, and ask why they haven’t booked me for the correct surgery. They say that because I’ve not had an X-ray they had to reschedule me. I point out I’ve had an OTC. They eventually find the OTC scan after some prompting. I point out that I asked for an anaesthesia months ago. They say they assumed a local would be fine. I point out that I have seizures and that’s a bad idea, and it says on my referral report that I needed a surgical extraction.
From this company I have had utter gems such as
- we are not mind readers, how we’re we supposed to know you had seizures and how they affected you
- we are not medical professionals simply booking staff
- you should have never been referred to us to begin with
So here comes the question. I’ve tried to complain. This company never calls me back. The company have blamed the NHS, the NHS blamed my dentist. I’ve ended up having to go private as I am having to wait months maybe even years to actually see a dentist who can help me.
What can I even do? What can I get? How do I get this company to respond? Even with the NHS support? Would I be able to get money towards private treatment? Or anything at all? Apparently I’m not allowed an expedited referral as this company can’t do that, and the NHS is very backlogged.