1. PERSONAL INFORMATION

At this practice, the need for the strict confidentiality of personal information about patients is taken very seriously.

This document sets out our policy for maintaining confidentiality and all members of the practice team must comply with these safeguards as part of their contract of employment/contract for services with the practice.

The Importance of Confidentiality

The relationship between dentist and patient is based on the understanding that any information revealed by the patient to the dentist will not be divulged without the patients consent.

Patients have the right to privacy and it is vital that they give the dentist full information on their state of health to ensure that treatment is carried out safely. The intensely personal nature of health information means that many patients would be reluctant to provide the dentist with information if they were not sure that it would not be passed on.
If confidentiality is breached, the dentist/dental hygienist/dental therapist/dental nurse faces investigation by the General Dental Council and possible erasure from the Dentists or DCP Register; and may also face legal action by the patient for damages and, for dentists, prosecution for breach of the 1998 Data Protection Act.

General Dental Council

All staff must follow the General Dental Councils rules for maintaining patient confidentiality contained in Standards for dental professionals and Principles of patient confidentiality.
If confidentiality is breached, each registered dental professional involved is responsible to the Council for their individual conduct.

What is personal information?

In a dental context, personal information held by a dentist about a patient includes:
The patients name, current and previous addresses, bank account/credit card details, telephone number/e-mail address and other means of personal identification such as physical description.
Information that the individual is or has been a patient of the practice or attended, cancelled or failed to attend an appointment on a certain day.
Information concerning the patients physical, mental or oral health or condition.
Information about the treatment that is planned, is being or has been provided.
Information about family members and personal circumstances supplied by the patient to others.
The amount that was paid for treatment, the amount owing or the fact that the patient is a debtor to the practice.

Personal information about a patient is confidential in respect of that patient and to those providing the patient with health care should only be disclosed to those who would be unable to provide effective care and treatment without that information (the need-to-know concept) and such information should not be disclosed to third parties without the consent of the patient except in certain specific circumstances described in this policy

Disclosures to third parties

There are certain restricted circumstances in which a dentist may decide to disclose information to a third party or may be required to disclose by law.Responsibility for disclosure rests with the patients dentist and under no circumstances can any other member of staff make a decision to disclose. A brief summary of the circumstances is given below.

When disclosure is in the public interest;

There are certain circumstances where the wider public interest outweighs the rights of the patient to confidentiality. This might include cases where disclosure would prevent a serious future risk to the public or assist in the prevention or prosecution of serious crime.

When disclosure can be made;

There are circumstances when personal information can be disclosed:

Where expressly the patient has given consent to the disclosure.
Where disclosure is necessary for the purpose of enabling someone else to provide health care to the patient and the patient has consented to this sharing of information
Where disclosure is required by statute or is ordered by a court of law.
Where disclosure is necessary for a dentist to pursue a bona-fide legal claim against a patient, when disclosure to a solicitor, court or debt collecting agency may be necessary.
Disclosure of information necessary in order to provide care and for the functioning of the NHS: Information may need to be disclosed to third party organisations to ensure the provision of care and the proper functioning of the NHS. In practical terms this type of disclosure means:

Transmission of claims/information to payment authorities such as the DPD/SDPD/CSA.
In more limited circumstances, disclosure of information to the PCT/HB.
Referral of the patient to another dentist or health care provider such as a hospital.
Data protection code of practice.

The Practices Data protection code of practice provides the required procedures to ensure that we comply with the 1998 Data Protection Act. It is a condition of engagement that everyone at the practice complies with the code of practice.

Access to records

Patients have the right of access to their health records held on paper or on computer. A request from a patient to see records or for a copy must be referred to the patients dentist. The patient should be given the opportunity of coming into the practice to discuss the records and will then be given a photocopy.

Care should be taken to ensure that the individual seeking access is the patient in question and where necessary the practice will seek information from the patient to confirm identity. The copy of the record must be supplied within forty days of payment of the fee and receipt of identifying information if this is requested.

Access may be obtained by making a request in writing and the payment of a fee for access of up to 10 (for records held on computer) or 40 (for those held manually or for computer-held records with non-computer radiographs). We will provide a copy of the record within 40 days of the request and fee (where payable) and an explanation of your record should you require it.

The fact that patients have the right of access to their records makes it essential that information is properly recorded. Records must be:

Contemporaneous and dated.
Accurate and comprehensive.
Signed by the dentist.
Neat, legible and written in ink.
Strictly necessary for the purpose.
Not derogatory.
Such that disclosure to the patient would be unproblematic.

Practical rules

The principles of confidentiality give rise to a number of practice rules that everyone in the practice must observe:

Records must be kept secure and in a location where it is not possible for other patients or individuals to read them.
Identifiable information about patients should not be discussed with anyone outside of the practice including relatives or friends.
A school should not be given information about whether a child attended for an appointment on a particular day. It should be suggested that the child is asked to obtain the dentists signature on his or her appointment card to signify attendance.
Demonstrations of the practices administrative/computer systems should not involve actual patient information.
When talking to a patient on the telephone or in person in a public area care should be taken that sensitive information is not overheard by other patients.
Do not provide information about a patients appointment record to a patients employer.
Messages about a patients care should not be left with third parties or left on answering machines. A message to call the practice is all that can be left
recall cards and other personal information must be sent in an envelope.
Disclosure of appointment books, record cards or other information should not be made to police officers or Inland Revenue officials unless upon the instructions of the dentist.
Patients should not be able to see information contained in appointment books, day sheets or computer screens.
Discussions about patients should not take place in the practices public areas.
Disciplinary action.
If, after investigation, a member of staff is found to have breached patient confidentiality or this policy, he or she shall be liable to summary dismissal in accordance with the practices disciplinary policy.

Employees are reminded that all personal data processed at the practice must by law remain confidential after your employment has terminated.

It is an offence under section 55(1) of the Data Protection Act 1998, knowingly or recklessly, without the consent of the data controller Mr Arvind Maan to obtain or disclose personal data. If the practice suspects that you have committed such an offence, it will contact the Office of the Information Commissioner and you may be prosecuted by the Commissioner or by or with the consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Queries

Queries about confidentiality should be addressed to Mr Arvind Maan.More information is contained in BDA Advice Sheet B1 Ethics in Dentistry and B2 Data protection which are available for reference in reception.

2.PATIENT CHARTER

Introduction

The Patient’s Charter was introduced by the Government in 1991. It helps to: listen to and act on people’s views and needs; set clear standards of service; provide services which meet those standards. Throughout this document we refer to:

Expectations

These are standards of service which the practice is aiming to achieve. Exceptional circumstances may sometimes prevent these standards being met.

Your expectations

We provide treatment on a private payment basis, for people who are able to consent, including children under 18 with permission of the primary care- giver.
Your dentist to provide a diagnosis and verbally agreed plan of treatment for treatment carried out same day.
You can expect to be treated with respect, involved in discussions about your care and treatment and able to influence how the service is run
Your dentist to let you know the expected cost of a course of treatment before that treatment begins.
Choose which dentist will be responsible for looking after you; the type of care you wish to receive and when to receive it.
The nature of disease is unpredictable therefore you can expect to be informed of any change in the treatment and associated costs.
If you are registered with a dentist, you have the right to receive advice in an emergency and treatment if your dentist considers it necessary.
You can expect to get safe and appropriate care that meets your needs and supports your rights where dignity is respected and their independence encouraged
Sufficient reasonable information to help you reach decisions about your care including information of appropriate investigations such as xrays, pulp testing, palpation, study models etc
Your privacy to be upheld.
Essential standards of quality and safety
Protected from abuse and staff should respect your human rights
Cared for in a clean environment and protected from the risk of infection

Our expectations

We appreciate that you value the dentists time so they continue to offer the best of their time and expertise
Minimum Advance notice 48 hours required for cancellation or reschedule of appointments.
Emails are not accepted as a notice for cancellation of appointment. You must phone the practice.
Minimum Charges apply to review appointments and consultations. For failed appointments minimum fees apply. Some charges will be a proportion of the scheduled treatment. Final discretion lies with the Practice.
You may pay for your dental care by cash or credit/debit card only. Dental financing is available with prior agreement.
You might be requested to show us proof of ID and address

Learning from you

You can help the practice learn about your experience – good and bad – so we can improve the service we offer.
If you have a comment, suggestion, or expression of dissatisfaction, the first step is to tell the person who provides the service – the treating dentist.
Should your comment be related to administration please contact the manager.

Making a complaint

If you want to make a complaint about treatment then we have an in-house complaints procedure. We will:

Acknowledge your comments, suggestions and complaints within three working days after discussion with the relevant individuals;
Give a written response, where required, within 7 days.
Make changes so the event doesn’t recur
Take remedial or disciplinary action as needed.

3. PAYMENT POLICY

It is our practice policy to give patients full information about the cost of their dental work before any treatment is undertaken.
A written estimate and treatment plan will be provided for all dental treatment during your first visit for a check up at the practice. If you are visiting for a specific treatment an estimate will be provided for the same after the diagnosis by the dentist. We may not provide you this estimate on complementary consultations.
For some treatments the receptionist would be able to assist with approximate costs prior to seeing the dentist such as emergency fee, clean, simple filling & teeth whitening. Emergency fees may depend on the time of day the patient is to be seen.
A list and explanation of charges and how we calculate our private fees appears on our website http://www.kensingtondental.com/fees. We are able to assist you in person or over the phone at all times. Please speak to the reception.
We offer patients a range of payment options, depending on their needs.

Dental Finance

We offer finance options on some treatments and are able to guide you with the payment options. It is a simple procedure. You would be required to fill the finance company form. They perform a credit check and inform the practice. We are then able to give you an appointment fairly soon.

Cash or Card

You may pay for your dental care by cash or credit/debit card only. You might be requested to show us another proof of ID.

We try to make payment as straightforward as possible. Our normal policy is that patients are asked to make payments on the day of the treatment for the treatment they have received.

For some treatments that include laboratory fees a proportion of fees is payable as a deposit towards the treatment prior to the commencement of treatment and the balance on completion. For treatments that require a ‘fit’ or are above £500 pounds (such as Veneers,Implants, Braces,) the patients will be requested to pay in advance (prior to treatment) on the day.
We request you to pay a deposit towards your treatment or appointment if you are to see an expert/specialist or a dentist working on specific days of the week.
If the appointment is not kept or insufficient (48 hours notice) given the cancellation charge will be forfeit to cover the nurse and surgery time. Outstanding treatment laboratory costs will be recoverable.

We appreciate that you value the dentists time so they continue to offer the best of their time and expertise. Minimum Advance notice 48 hours required for cancellation or reschedule of appointments.

Special circumstances, such as remoteness from emergency medical services, shift work, domiciliary visits or practices with several separate buildings, may require more first-aid personnel to be available.

We will endeavour to fill the dentists’ appointment times however the Practice has fixed staff and capital expenses so a nominal & fixed charge on missed appointments regardless of the treatment or charge to you will apply. Minimum Charge: £ 30.00 (GBP) per 30 minutes also applies to review appointments and complementary consultations.

For failed appointments regular dentistry the charge will be a proportion of the scheduled treatment. Final discretion lies with the Practice.

Emails are not accepted as a notice for cancellation of appointment. You must phone the practice.

Cardholder Not Present Payments

The first time a customer attends having made a pre-payment over the phone they MUST bring the SAME card to their appointment.
The Practice will CHECK that it is the same card used to make the payment and scan the Card used for payment.
If the card is not present then we have to refuse to see them and it may be necessary to call the Police for potential attempted fraud
The only exception is…???

4. HEALTH AND SAFETY

General Statement of Policy

Our policy is to provide and maintain safe and healthy working conditions, equipment and systems of work for all our employees and to provide such information, training and supervision as they need for this purpose. We also accept our responsibility for the health and safety of other people who may be affected by our work activities. This policy applies to all employees of the practice, dental associates, dental hygienists and other contractors providing services to the practice, such as anaesthetists.

The allocation of duties for safety matters and the particular arrangements that we will make to implement the policy are set out below.

This policy will be kept up to date, particularly as changes occur within the practice. To ensure this, the policy and the way in which it has operated will be reviewed every year.

Communication

The practice owner regards communication between staff at the practice as an essential part of health and safety management.

Consultation on health and safety matters will be facilitated by means of practice meetings every month or as often as is deemed necessary.

Co-operation between staff at all levels is essential. All staff are expected to co-operate and accept their duties under this health and safety policy.

Disciplinary action may be taken against any employee who fails to follow safety rules or carry out duties under this policy.

The following are responsible for safety in particular areas

Dr Swati Maan: Infection control, including waste.
Dr Swati Maan: Radiation safety.

All employees have the responsibility to co-operate with supervisors and managers to achieve a healthy and safe workplace and to take reasonable care of themselves and others.

An employee, supervisor or manager who notices a health or safety problem, which s/he is not able to put right, must tell the appropriate person named above.

Other people responsible for:

Safety training Dr Swati Maan.
Investigating accidents Dr Swati Maan.
Monitoring maintenance of equipment Dr Swati Maan

5. FIRST AID

Health & Safety Regulations

The Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 require you to assess the first-aid requirements of the practice taking the following factors into account:

The hazards and risks associated with the work – your practice risk assessment will help.
The number of people at the practice and where they work.
Previous accidents (recorded in the accident book).
Access to emergency facilities and services.
Arrangements for covering planned and unplanned absences.
Patients – although there is no legal requirement to provide first-aid treatment and facilities to non- employees.
You must ensure that everyone has reasonably quick access to first-aid. Those who work outside the practice (domiciliary visits, for example) must still be provided with adequate first-aid cover.

Qualified personnel

The number of first-aiders or appointed persons required will depend on the individual circumstances of each practice.

Increased provision will be necessary to cover for absences.
Practices with fewer than 20 workers should have an appointed person on the premises at all times the practice is open.

The basic ‘emergency first-aid’ course for appointed persons is recommended and should include emergency actions, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), control of bleeding, treatment of wounds and treatment of the unconscious patient.

A practice with more than 20 workers or where the working environment is assessed as hazardous, will need to have qualified ‘first-aiders’ on the premises at all times.

Training for ‘first-aiders’ includes:

Dealing with emergencies at work.
The number of people at the practice and where they work.
Administering CPR.
Administering first-aid to unconscious casualties.
Administering first-aid to bleeding or wounded casualties.
Administering first-aid for burns/scalds, bone/muscle/joint injuries, shock, eye injuries, poisonings, casualties overcome by gas or fumes.
Safe transport of casualties
Recognition of, and appropriate procedures for dealing with, common illnesses.
Competent record keeping and effective communication or information to doctors etc.