Explanation
This criteria is in place to ensure that learners sign and comply with a learner contract. This contract details the expected behaviours that learners must comply with in line with NCFE and GDC requirements.
Employers/workplaces/placements must ensure that learners have been formally inducted into the workplace. Topics must be covered to evidence that the learner is fully prepared to work safely and ethically in the dental practice.
Centres must gather evidence that demonstrates that the clinical environment/workplace is safe and appropriate. Through the workplace Assessor, they must request evidence from the employer.
There should be feedback mechanisms available to promote a two-way communication process that aims to improve the outcomes of the programme for all key stakeholders.
Centres must ensure that workplaces comply with the requirement that all trainee Dental Nurses should be easily identifiable from registered Dental Nurses in the work setting (eg by learners wearing name badges).
Patients must also be made aware if a trainee Dental Nurse is assisting in their treatment, the possible implications and give consent. Consent must also be recorded prior to treatment commencing. If patients wish to decline, this will not affect their treatment they receive at the practice. Workplaces may wish to use this poster which informs patients of the above requirements.
Centres must ensure that they have a formal process in place to monitor and record patient safety incidents, and to communicate these with work placements/employers. Work placements/employers have a responsibility to report such incidents back to the centre. An incident reporting form that can be used by both the centre and the work placement/employer is provided to support this process.
Evidence to meet this criteria could include:
- Three-way agreement.
- Work-based placement procedure (including quality assurance/ health and safety of placements) and additional placement procedures (GDC 2.12, 1.3) (where applicable).
- Learner handbook.
- Risk assessments/evidence of review (GDC 1.3).
- Consideration of patient safety.
- Insurance - public liability, employer.
- Process in place to check the workplace/placement is registered with the appropriate regulators.
- Details of study, workplace-based assessments and support required for the learner in the workplace.
- Induction policy/procedure/ employer declaration of work-place induction.
- Employer declaration of workplace induction (Appendix B of Approval Guidance document). Signed copy for each learner required for subsequent EQA reviews.
- Contracts setting out specific roles and responsibilities that centres/employers must agree, sign and comply with throughout the course of the qualification (Appendix F and Appendix G).
- Process in place to check the workplace is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) (England). Evidence of this being carried out will be required for subsequent EQA reviews.
- Initial safety check and monitoring of learners’ workplace (Appendix C: Initial safety check and workplace monitoring). Completed checklist required for subsequent EQA review.
- Raising Concerns in the Workplace policy and procedure for the placement/employer
- Process in place to check the workplace is informing patients and gaining their consent regarding a trainee Dental Nurse being involved in their dental treatment (GDC 1.2).
- Process in place to check the workplace mentor/supervisor is keeping records of mentorship.
- Patient feedback surveys (GDC 2.12, GDC 3.17).