QUALITY ASSURANCE
Our practice aims to provide dental care of a consistent quality for all patients; we strive to meet the high standards expected in any clinical setting. We expect all members of our dental team to work to these standards to help us achieve our aim of providing a quality service.
Our management systems define each practice member's responsibilities when looking after you.
The policies, systems and processes in place in our practice reflect our professional and legal responsibilities and follow recognised standards of good practice.
At Borrowash Dental Centre, we aim to achieve the best results for our patients through clear policies and systems and appropriately trained and competent team members.
We evaluate our practice on a regular basis through audit, peer review and patient feedback, and monitor the effectiveness of our quality assurance procedures.
We work with external agencies, including the British Dental Association, Care Quality Commission and the local Primary Care Trust.
Our Team
Team members implement and adhere to the practice policies and procedures which are readily accessible .
All new members of the team receive training in practice-wide procedures, policies and quality assurance activities as part of their induction. Appraisal meetings take place annually and include an assessment of training needs.
We expect everyone working at the practice to:
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Understand our aims and objectives
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Have an understanding of the skills and competencies required to deliver the services successfully
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Understand and participate in our quality assurance activities
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Dealing with emergencies, including a collapsed patient
Dentists also understand the policies and procedures for:
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Referring patients
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Requesting work from laboratories
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Ordering materials and equipment
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Clinical governance requirements and CQC standards of quality and safety
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Professional and legal requirements affecting dentistry.
All GDC registrants meet their continuing professional development requirements and, as required by the GDC, maintain records of their individual CPD activity. In addition, the practice maintains records of all practice-wide training it provides and training provided for individual members.
Code of Practice for Patient Complaints
In this practice we take complaints very seriously, and try to ensure that all patients are pleased with their experience of our service. If patients do complain, they will be dealt with courteously and promptly, so that the matter is resolved as quickly as possible. This procedure is based on the following objectives.
Our aim is to react to complaints in the way in which we would wish our own complaint about a service to be handled. We learn from every mistake that we make, and we respond to patients' concerns in a caring and sensitive way.
The person responsible for dealing with any complaint about the service which we provide is Dr Anil Kumar Chand (practice owner)
If a patient complains by telephone, or at the reception desk, we will listen to their complaint, and offer to refer them to Dr Chand as soon as possible.
If Dr Chand is not available at that time, the patient will be told when they will be able to talk to him or the dentist, and arrangements will be made for this to happen. The member of staff will take brief details of the complaint, and pass them on to Dr Chand. If we cannot arrange this within 48 hours, or if the patient does not wish to wait to discuss the matter, arrangements will be made for someone else to deal with it.
If the patient complains in writing the letter will be passed on immediately to Dr Chand.
If a complaint is about any aspect of clinical care or associated charges it will normally be referred to the dentist, unless the patient does not want this to happen. Dr Chand will acknowledge the patient's complaint in writing and enclose a copy of this code of practice as soon as possible, and in any event within five working days.
We will seek to meet the patient within fifteen working days of the complaint being received to give an explanation of the circumstances which led to the complaint.
If the patient does not wish to meet us, then we will attempt to talk to them by telephone. We will confirm the decision about the complaint in writing to the patient within the same fifteen day period.
Proper and comprehensive records are kept of any complaint received.
If patients are not satisfied with the result of our procedure then the issue may be raised with the local PALS (Patient Association Liaison Service) who will listen and give appropriate advice.
This Code of Practice is reviewed annually.