Information for PCTs
Clinical Governance System
Integrated Dental Holdings (and its group of companies) have developed a bespoke and highly comprehensive Clinical Governance System, which is adopted by every practice.
The Clinical Governance System has been deliberately mapped over the Core and Developmental Standards outlined in the Department of Health's Standards for Better Health document and the NHS Primary Care Dental Services Clinical Governance Framework, and hence, ensures that every practice is working to achieve, and exceed, the level of quality expected of an organisation providing NHS services.
The system outlines some very clear and explicit quality standards to which every member of every practice team must aspire and adhere. The System comprises a Clinical Governance Manual, which contains the policies, procedures, guidelines, protocols and examples of best practice, supporting the delivery of first class NHS Dental Services.
The manual covers the 12 core themes below:
- Infection Control
- Child Protection
- Dental Radiography
- Staff, Patient & Public Safety
- Evidence Based Practice & Research
- Prevention & Public Health
- Clinical Records, Patient Privacy, Confidentiality
- Support Staff Involvement & Development
- Clinical Team Requirements & Development
- Patient Information & Involvement
- Fair & Accessible Care
- Clinical Audit & Peer Review
The System also consists of an Evidence File, maintained by every individual practice, which demonstrates the practice's individual compliance with the specified quality standards. This file can be audited, as part of any Contract or Clinical Governance Review processes conducted by commissioning NHS Authorities.
The System also encompasses the standards of external audit and inspection agencies, such as PCT Dental Practice Advisors (DPA) and the Dental Reference Service (DRS), so that the practice has one over-arching system to satisfy all quality standards.