A quality assurance system can be used to:

monitor and improve services
help the practice work more efficiently
maintain and improve standards of patient care and safety
reduce the kinds of incident that can lead to a complaint or claim.

Quality assurance covers all areas of dental practice, and is a requirement of the NHS General Dental Services contracts, as well as the different regulatory bodies in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

What is needed for quality assurance?

Quality assurance requires an organisational culture where:

openness and participation are encouraged
education and research are valued
people learn from mistakes
good practice is freely shared.

It should be consistent, so patients can be confident they will always be treated safely and appropriately.

Quality assurance also requires effective procedures and policies for:

infection control
safeguarding children and vulnerable adults
dental radiography
safety of patients, staff and the wider public
evidence-based practice in line with relevant guidance
data protection
employment, training and development
patient information and involvement
fair and accessible care
investigating and learning from complaints
raising concerns
clinical audit and peer review.

Your practice's policies and procedures should reflect authoritative national guidance from organisations such as the General Dental Council (GDC), the British Dental Association (BDA), the Faculties of Dental Surgery and General Dental Practice at the Royal Colleges, the specialist societies, the CQC and the UK Departments of Health.

Achieving effective quality assurance

Review your practice policies and procedures to check they are fit for purpose. Make sure you are meeting your legal obligations - for example, on infection control, IRMER, data protection, anti-discrimination and child protection.
Participate in regular clinical audits and reviews to ensure patient safety and best practice.
Hold significant event audits to learn from things that have gone wrong. Highlight examples of good practice.
Give staff members the opportunity to contribute ideas and raise concerns. Ask them to highlight areas where problems commonly arise, such as referrals or professional development.
Review your training needs and those of your employees and/or team members.
Give patients the opportunity to provide feedback. Discuss and act on the findings of patient satisfaction surveys in your practice.

Quality assurance should not be measured in financial terms, but by accepting responsibility for continuous improvement.

Quality assurance and patient safety

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