Are you our next award winners?
Are you our next award winners?
Published: 01/06/2018
Could you be the schülke Infection Prevention & Control Team of 2018? We hear from Joanne Kear, practice manager of last year’s winners, Milne, Spencer & Harris Dental Practice
Registration is now open for the schülke Infection Prevention & Control team 2018 award. The awards have been developed by schülke in partnership with Dental Nursing and The Dentist to celebrate the dedication of dental practice teams who surpass what is typically expected in standards of infection prevention. This year, the winning team will receive an autoclave worth £5,000 from NSK, an editorial in the November issue of The Dentist, and a trip to BDIA Dental Showcase 2018 in Birmingham, where they will be presented with a winner’s trophy and certificate. Runners up will also receive a trophy and certificate either at BDIA Dental Showcase 2018 or at their own practice.
The 2017 winning team – Milne, Spencer & Harris Dental Practice, from Normanton in Wakefield, West Yorkshire – was praised by the judges for ‘offering a superb service to a huge number of NHS patients, by staff who are all well informed and passionate about infection prevention’. For them, teamwork is crucial in ensuring good patient care. They believe in creating a supportive environment to encourage staff development. Here, Joanne Kear shares their award-winning ways.
Team ‘buy in’
Good infection prevention and control requires effective leadership that encourages a ‘buy in’ from all the team. Our staff shares the workload involved and the common processes within all clinical areas and across both sites.
Practice managers often take the lead in developing these practice protocols, which are then refined in regular team meetings, and in the light of any experience. Reflective learning is vital – as there is always more that can be done to develop skills – so whole team meetings play a key role. Good infection prevention and control is everyone’s responsibility – it’s simply a part of being a dental professional, which is why we encourage an open culture, with an ‘everyone is equal’ approach.
New team members have a comprehensive induction programme, including shadowing existing staff. Other training might be part of general dental nurse qualifications or might be more tailored to meet individual needs. Record keeping is important too, in terms of assurance that staff and patients are kept safe. It also helps when CQC call!
As BDA Good Practice scheme members, we have access to a lot of material to help us. We audit our IC policy at least twice a year, alongside specific audits, and usually involve both experienced and newer staff in the process, as it’s good training and development.
The IC policies are displayed in each surgery and we do see patients reading them when they’ve accompanied someone else receiving care.
NSK autoclave
In the decon room and in surgeries, simple kit such as visors and masks help keep us safe and protect patients. The washer disinfectors have made a big difference over the years. We also have modern autoclaves and the NSK autoclave we were awarded as our prize is a great new addition. Winning the award gave us a real boost in confidence and belief in our team. We haven’t made any huge changes, but we always keep our eyes open for ways in which we can improve.
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How to enter It’s easy to register, just complete the FREEPOST card inside Dental Nursing or The Dentist or email your practice details to ipcaward.sm@schuelke.com. All entrants will receive a short questionnaire to complete and a free Voco Admira Fusion Kit worth £50, subject to agreement and further contact. For more, visit www.schuelke.com or email ipcaward.sm@schuelke.com |
Author: Joanne Kear
