The Private Dentistry (Wales) Regulations 2017

Assessing and monitoring the quality of service provision including annual returns

16.—(1) The registered person must—

(a) regularly assess and monitor the quality of the services provided in the carrying on of the practice against the requirements set out in these Regulations; and

(b) identify, assess and manage risks relating to the health, welfare and safety of staff and patients.

(2) For the purposes of paragraph (1), the registered person must—

(a) where appropriate, obtain relevant professional advice;

(b) have regard to—

(i) the information contained in the records referred to in regulation 20 (records);

(ii) the comments and complaints made, and views (including the descriptions of their experiences of care and treatment) expressed by patients pursuant to sub-paragraph (c) and regulation 21 (complaints);

(iii) any investigation carried out by the registered person in relation to the conduct of a person employed for the purpose of carrying on the private dental practice; and

(iv) reports prepared by the registration authority from time to time pursuant to section 32(5) of the Act (inspections: supplementary) in relation to the private dental practice;

(c) regularly seek the views (including the descriptions of their experiences of care and treatment) of patients and persons who are employed in or for the purposes of the private dental practice; and

(d) where necessary, make changes to the service delivery, treatment or care provided in order to reflect—

(i) the analysis of incidents that resulted in, or had the potential to result in, harm to a patient;

(ii) the conclusions of local and national service reviews, clinical audits and research carried out by appropriate expert bodies; and

(iii) the views of patients and persons who are employed in or for the purposes of the private dental practice.

(3) The registered person must send to the appropriate office of the registration authority, when requested to do so, an annual return setting out how the registered person has met the requirements of paragraph (1), together with any plans that the registered person has for improving the standard of the services, treatment and care provided to patients with a view to ensuring their health, welfare and safety.

(4) The registered person must take reasonable steps to ensure that the annual return is not misleading or inaccurate.

(5) The registered person must supply the annual return to the appropriate office of the registration authority within the time frame stipulated by the authority.