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Welcome News
DUTY OF CANDOUR GUIDANCE
FOR DENTISTS DENTISTS must be open and honest with patients when things go wrong and apologise as soon as possible, according to new draft guidance from the General Dental Council. The regulator has launched a consultation seeking views on its new
duty of candour guidelines. It follows Sir Robert Francis’ report into the failings at Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust which emphasised the importance of openness and transparency in healthcare. The GDC was one of eight organisations to sign a joint statement in
Welcome to your
DENTISTRY can be a fantastic, rewarding career but research suggests levels of work-related stress are high. Running behind schedule, coping with uncooperative patients, and long working hours are just some commonly reported stress factors. My article on page 4 explores this issue in more detail and looks at some potential solutions. Complaints from patients are
often cited as a source of stress, but dentist-turned-business coach Alun Rees argues that they should be welcomed. Find out how to make the most of negative feedback on page 6. You might think data
protection laws are something only practice principals or managers have to worry about, but they apply to new dentists too. MDDUS senior information governance officer Alex Lyons offers a useful overview of what you need to know on page 7.
Making the move from VT to
associate can be a daunting step with lots of things to consider. On page 10 MDDUS adviser Claire Renton highlights some of the most important areas, including GDC registration, indemnity and CPD. If you’re looking for more career challenges, our article on page 8 considers what it’s like to work as a prosthodontist. Modern dentistry owes much
to the efforts of one pioneering man born 200 years ago this year – Sir John Tomes. On page 12 Allan Gaw looks at how this determined clinician drove out back-street charlatans and crafted a respected and skilled profession. And our case study on page 14 details a problematic extraction involving a retained root.
• Sameera Teli Editor
October 2014 called The professional duty of candour, but this new draft document offers more detailed guidance. It underlines the importance of a thorough discussion with patients
before beginning treatment, ensuring they have enough information to make their decision. If something does go wrong, dentists will be expected to tell the
patient; apologise; offer an appropriate remedy or support to put matters right (if possible); and explain fully the short and long term effects of what has happened.
A personalised apology should also be offered “as soon as possible”
after a patient suffers harm or distress, the guidance states, adding: “Apologising to the patient is not the same as admitting legal liability for what happened. You should not withhold an apology because you think that it might cause problems later.” Under the new guidance, dental managers and employers will have to
encourage a culture of openness and honesty amongst staff, ensuring procedures are in place for staff to raise concerns. The GDC is asking healthcare professionals and the public “whether
it’s got the draft guidance right”. The consultation runs until December 18, with more information available on the GDC website.
HIGH DENTAL SATISFACTION,
EDITOR: Sameera Teli BChD MFDS
ASSOCIATE EDITORS: Joanne Curran Jim Killgore
DENTAL CONTENT EDITOR: Claire Renton BDS FDS RCPS (Gla) MML
DESIGN: Connect Communications
connectcommunications.co.uk
PRINT: Printwell
www.printwell-ltd.co.uk
CORRESPONDENCE: SoundBite Editor MDDUS Mackintosh House 120 Blythswood Street Glasgow G2 4EA
t: e: 0845 270 2034
jcurran@mddus.com w:
www.mddus.com
NHS TEST SHOWS DENTAL practices received 97 per cent positive ratings from patients, according to their first batch of Friends and Family Test (FFT) results. The official NHS survey was rolled out to dentists in April. Data just published from the first three months shows the
overwhelming majority of patients who responded said they would recommend their dental service to a friend or family member. Only one per cent of respondents said they would not recommend it. The figures come as the FFT marks its 10 millionth piece of patient
feedback. It was launched in April 2013 and has since been fully rolled out
across the NHS. The test aims to gauge patient views on service quality, allowing providers to react quickly to any reported problems. In the first month for dental practices, feedback was submitted by almost 191,000 patients. In May there were 151,000 submissions and almost 143,500 in June. Data was returned by just over 6,000 practices in April, falling to just over 5,300 in June. Commenting on the survey results, an NHS England spokesman, said:
GPst is published by The Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland, Registered in in Scotland No 5093 at Mackintosh House, 120 Blythswood Street, Glasgow G2 4EA. The MDDUS is not an insurance company. All the benefits of membership of MDDUS are t out in the Articles of Association.
SoundBite is published by The Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland, Registered Scotland No 5093 at Mackintosh House, 120 Blythswood Street, Glasgow G2 4EA. The MDDUS is not an insurance company. All the benefits of membership of MDDUS are discretionary as set out in the Memorandum and Articles of Association.
“Given the overwhelmingly positive scores that have been recorded, it is a huge vote of confidence and appreciation for the hardworking staff of the NHS across England.”
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