Principle 8 - Raise Concerns If Patients Are At Risk

Question 0

What are the five core principles of Principle Eight?

Answer 0

• 8.1 Always put patients’ safety first
• 8.2 Act promptly if patients or colleagues are at risk and take measures to protect them
• 8.3 Make sure if you employ, manage or lead a team that you encourage and support a culture where staff can raise concerns openly and without fear of reprisal
• 8.4 Make sure if you employ, manage or lead a team that there is an effective procedure in place for raising concerns, that the procedure is readily available to all staff and that it is followed at all times
• 8.5 Take appropriate action if you have concerns about the possible abuse of children or vulnerable adults

Question 1

What do patients expect with regards to Principle Eight?

Answer 1

• That the dental team will act promptly to protect their safety if there are concerns about the health, performance or behaviour of a dental professional o r the environment where treatment is provided
• That a dental professional will raise any concerns about welfare of vulnerable patients

Question 2

Give three reasons that you must raise a concern with regards to patients being at risk (8.1.1)

Answer 2

• The health, behaviour or professional performance of a colleague
• Any aspect of the enviroment where treatment is provided
• Someone asking you to do something that you think conflicts with your duties to put patients interests first and act to protect them

Question 3

What should you do if you are worried and not in a position to control or influence your working enviroment? (8.1.1)

Answer 3

• You must still raise a concern

Question 4

What does your duty to raise concerns override? (8.1.1)

Answer 4

• Overrides any personal and professional loyalties or concerns you may have (e.g. seeming disloyal or being treated differently by your colleagues or managers

Question 5

What must you be aware of in terms of a ‘gagging clause’? (8.1.2)

Answer 5

• You must not enter into any contract or agreemnet with your employer or contracting body which contains a ‘gagging clause’ that would prevent you from raising concerns about patient safety or restrict what you could saw when raising a concern

Question 6

How must you act on concerns? (8.2.1)

Answer 6

• You must act on concerns promptly.
• Acting quickly may mean that poor practice is identified and tackled without there being a serious risk to patient safety

Question 7

What should you do if you are not sure whether the issue that sorries you amounts to a concern that you should raise? (8.2.1)

Answer 7

• Think about what might happen in the short or longer term if you did not mention the issure
• If in doubt, you must raise a concern

Question 8

Should you have to prove your concern? How should a concern be followed up? (8.2.2)

Answer 8

• You should not have to prove your concern for it to be investigated
• If the investigation shows that there was no problem, the fact that you raised a concern should not be held against you as long as you were justifed in raising the concern

Question 9

What is at risk if you fail to raise a concern and why? (8.2.2)

Answer 9

• You must put patients’ interests first and act to protect them
• If you fail to do so by not raising a concern, your own registration could be at risk

Question 10

Where should you raise concerns first? (8.2.3)

Answer 10

• Where possible you should raise concerns first with your employer or manager
• However it may not always be appropriate or possible to raise concerns with them, particularly if they are the source of your concern

Question 11

Where must you raise your concerns if it is not appropriate to raise with your employer or manager? Or if they fail to act on your concern? (8.2.4)

Answer 11

• You must raise your concerns with your local commissioner of health or with the appropriate boday from the following:
• – the Care Quality Commision
• – Healthcare Inspectorate Wales
• – the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority
• – Healthcare Improvement Scotland

Question 12

Where else can you get advice? (8.2.4)

Answer 12

• Defence organisation

Question 13

Who must you refer your concern to if you think that the public and patients need to be protected from a dental professional registered with the GDC? Give five examples where with may be appropriate (8.2.5)

Answer 13

• Refer your concern to the GDC
• This may be appropriate when:
• – taking action at a local level is not practical
• – action at a local level has failed
• – the problem is so severe that the GDC clearly need to be involved
• – there is a genuine fear of victimisation or deliberate concealment
• – you believe a registrant may not be fit to practice because of his or her health, performance or conduct

Question 14

Where must you refer concerns about other healthcare professionals? (8.2.6)

Answer 14

• To the relevant regulator