How to Prevent a Complaint

Careful patient selection

Understanding your patient’s motivations will help you assess whether they are right for you. When discussing your patient’s expectations within the consultation, be open and honest as to whether they are achievable. It is important to understand your patient’s motivations for the treatment as this will help you to identify if they are suitable.

Document this discussion in your consultation notes so there is evidence of this conversation. If there are any indications to suggest the patient isn’t suitable for treatment, advise them that you cannot meet their expectations and decline treatment.

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Document everything and provide dedicated aftercare

It is important to document the process of the treatment from the beginning and include time-stamped photographs for evidence.

It is also advised to provide the patient with relevant aftercare information and make sure that they understand this fully, the information can either be a physical or digital copy.

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Be reachable to your patients

Being contactable post treatment is a good way to avoid a complaint as the patient will be able to discuss any concerns with you straight away. If you are unavailable for a period of time after the treatment, we advise that you provide contact details for a colleague that the patient can reach whilst you are away.

Have a comprehensive complaint procedure

Having a clear complaint procedure in place will help to deal with any complaints efficiently as soon as they arise.

At Hamilton Fraser, we support you every step of the way during the claims process and work with you to resolve the matter effectively to prevent them escalating into a formal complaint.

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