Zero Tolerance Policy
Harassment, Abuse, Bullying and Aggressive Behaviour Towards Staff
At our dental practice, we are committed to providing a safe, respectful and professional environment for our patients, staff, clinicians and visitors.
We operate a strict Zero Tolerance Policy towards any form of harassment, bullying, abuse, discrimination, intimidation, threatening behavior or violence directed towards members of our team.
This policy applies to all interactions within the practice, including:
Face-to-face appointments
Telephone conversations
Emails and written correspondence
Social media communication
Online reviews and messaging platforms
Unacceptable Behaviour
The following behaviour will not be tolerated under any circumstances:
• Verbal abuse, shouting or swearing
• Threatening, intimidating or aggressive behaviour
• Harassment or bullying of staff members
• Discriminatory comments or actions relating to race, religion, gender, disability, age or sexual
orientation
• Physical violence or threatening gestures
• Persistent unreasonable demands or vexatious complaints
• Sexual harassment or inappropriate comments
• Recording staff without consent
• Abusive or defamatory social media posts targeting staff or the practice
All members of staff have the right to work in an environment free from fear, intimidation and abuse.
Practice Response
Where unacceptable behaviour occurs, the practice reserves the right to:
• Issue a verbal or written warning
• Ask the individual to leave the premises immediately
• Refuse treatment except in genuine emergency situations
• Remove the patient from the practice list
• Report incidents to the police where appropriate
• Take legal action in serious cases involving harassment, threats, defamation or violence
Any abuse towards our staff will be taken seriously and documented accordingly.
Our Commitment
We appreciate that patients may occasionally feel frustrated or upset; however, aggressive or abusive behaviour towards staff is never acceptable. We ask all patients and visitors to treat our team with courtesy and respect at all times. Our staff are here to help and provide the highest standard of care in a safe and professional environment.
Thank you for your cooperation.