Appendix B: Registered profession qualifications

Explanation

This criterion is to demonstrate and confirm that the provider has the required policies and procedures in place, that they are supported by senior management, are understood by delivery and assessment teams and that they are shared with Learners.

The documented policies that will be reviewed are:

• Complaints/Appeals (GDC 1.3, 1.6, 1.8).

• Malpractice and Plagiarism (GDC 1.3).
• Fitness to Practise (GDC 1.8).
• Patient Safety Procedure Confirmation the centre has policies and procedures in place regarding the raising of concerns that are clearly communicated to all staff, learners, and patients and any concerns raised by learners or staff regarding risks to patient safety including any instances that are reportable to a regulatory organisation. Confirmation the provider has policies and procedures in place regarding the raising of concerns that are clearly communicated to all staff, Learners, and patients (GDC 1.2).
• Self-Assessment Report - The QR will check evidence of how equality and diversity data is being used in course design and must also check how equality and diversity is embedded in course delivery e.g.: Self-Assessment Review (SAR) data.
• Supervision of Learners procedure (GDC 1.4).
• Patient Safety Procedure (GDC 1.3, 1.7).

• Whistleblowing procedure for reporting incidents (GDC 1.6).
• Procedure for checking and retaining copies of Learner vaccination records.
• Learner Recruitment/admissions procedure (GDC1.1, 1.3), Registration, and Certification.
• Learner support/protocol.

Evidence to meet this criterion could include:

• Copies of policies and procedures including who is responsible for updating them and when.
• Details of how and when these are provided to Learners.
• Confirmation of support from senior managers to run the product.

Explanation

This criterion is to ensure that providers delivering registered professional qualifications have a fitness to practise policy in place. We require providers to demonstrate how they are ensuring Learners are fit to practice when they enter the qualification and how they deal with any fitness to practise issues among Learners or trainees throughout the delivery of the programme.

Fitness to practise covers three areas: clinical/technical practice, professional conduct and health. Some examples of fitness to practise concerns include bullying, drug or alcohol use, dishonesty or misuse of social media. (You can find further information on the GDC’s website and in their document ‘Learner Professionalism and Fitness to Practise’).

Evidence to meet this criterion would include:

• Fitness to Practise Policy and Procedure. It must be applicable to both staff and Learners, written with reference to the relevant regulator, which includes how you'll ensure Learners are fit to practise and how you’ll deal with any fitness to practise issues at the point of selection (GDC 1.1, 1.6, 1.8).
• The centre’s Professional Misconduct Panel membership in place and a General Dental Council registrant, not involved with the delivery/assessment/internal quality assurance (therefore independent) of the Learner's qualification on the panel (GDC 1.8).
• Appeal policy (GDC 1.3, 1.6, 1.8).
• Procedure for checking and retaining copies of Learner vaccination records.
• Admissions/enrolment procedure (GDC 1.1, 1.3).
• Equal opportunities and diversity policy and procedure.
• Learner support policy/protocol.

Explanation

This criterion is to ensure that evidence is in place and must show that professional registration of work-based supervisors is checked before the qualification starts and that ongoing checks for any changes are in place.

Any General Dental Council (GDC) registrant involved in the supervision, teaching and assessing of a Learner’s work must be named. Providers must complete a supervising registrant list for each Learner. Providers will be expected to update this list annually to ensure registration has been maintained.

A declaration confirming that the named workplace mentor/supervisor has read policies and procedures listed and provided copies for the Learner (where appropriate) and their practice manager to read, and also that the content was discussed and clarified with the Learner and their manager.

Evidence to meet this criterion could include:

• Statement as to how this is to be completed (GDC 1.4)
• Guidance on the role of the supervising professional registrant and evidence of how this person has been supported with training (GDC 1.4, 1.5)
• Evidence that the supervisor/mentor has a current DBS certificate
• Annual updating of these records
• Work-based supervising registrant (workplace mentor or supervisor) documented for each Learner/workplace
• Policies and procedure for supervision of learners/supervisor induction/training/qualifications (GDC1.5)

Explanation

This criterion 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 criterion 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).

Explanation

This criterion is in place to ensure all GDC registrants are vaccinated, and centres must confirm that learners comply with this and keep the appropriate records. Checks must be made to ensure all staff and learners are of good character.

Evidence to meet this criterion could include:

• Procedure for checking and retaining copies of learner vaccination records (GDC 1.4).
• Centre organogram – setting out the staffing structure for the delivery of the qualification.
• Proof of General Dental Council (GDC) registration number for those listed in centre organogram.
• Current CVs, continuing professional development (CPD) records, copies of vocational qualification certificates, education/training qualifications.
• Details of current Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks, job descriptions: i.e., department supervisor(s)/tutor(s)/assessor(s)/IQA(s).

It is important that all evidence is submitted alongside the evidence located in Pages 5-20, so that your Quality Reviewer can confirm that you are adhering to the GDC Standards of Education.