Dental charges dispute. Definitely a case for…..
A dental patient needed treatment but knew he would find it difficult to pay. He told the dentist and showed his tax credit documents. The dentist carried out the treatment.
This man asked the Bureau for advice when, some weeks later, he got a letter from NHS Business Services Authority.
They said he would have to pay for the treatment but also a surcharge as penalty for delayed payment. If he could show he had acted in good faith he would be allowed to dispute the penalty and discuss how to pay.
If he’d known, he would have refused treatment. Now he faced a worrying, unexpected debt and a time-consuming process to sort things out.
Who should pay? What is the dentist’s responsibility? Is it ok that uncertainty about payment may deter many people on low income from seeking treatment?
This is when Healthwatch Surrey get involved. Their job isn’t to solve the specific problem but to get the NHS to do things better.
At Citizens Advice Reigate & Banstead we’re pleased to work in partnership with Healthwatch Surrey to bring to light problems with the healthcare system. They’re keen to hear from anyone with a relevant story about themselves or family or friends Find Out More.