Last Thursday saw me sitting in a large room with about 60 other general dentists, at Coombe Abbey, near Coventry. The room was built in 1684. The plasterwork cornice had the date moulded into it. A superb venue for another Denplan Key Client forum - a whole day of lectures and discussion on what REALLY matters in dentistry; the patients and how to look after them.
Not rubbish like "targets" or the amazingly twee "best practice" bandied about by the NHS, or "outcomes" and "governance" beloved of the CQC. But information and dialogue about how we, the PRACTICE OWNERS (not a bunch of second tier paperpushers) can improve OUR businesses (that`s OURS as in it belongs to US, Mr PCT man) to look after OUR patients (again Mr PCT man - the patients belong to us NOT YOU).
Naturally with the excessive and ill-advised amount of "compliance" foisted on us there was much talk of the CQC, HTM01-05, PCTs and numerous other useless and onerous interfering bodies and I`ll bore you with one story only.
An old friend of mine (whom I would gladly work with) had a scurrilous complaint made against his practice by an unknown - but suspected - party. This resulted in two senior CQC officers appearing unannounced at 9.30a.m. They had a list of 16 breaches of the rules or guidelines and they stayed until 7.15p.m. pulling the place to pieces. They told the dentist that they knew it was a malicious complaint but they have to do their work, of course. The practice is a Denplan Excel practice - like mine. These CQC men SHOULD have realised that there was little case to answer and stayed an hour or so and then pushed off - but no - 7.15pm was when they chose to leave. I wonder if they get overtime? The practice doesn`t.
They found NOTHING as expected but still asked some questions which beggar belief. One of which was "How frequently is the ornamental cornice in this surgery cleaned? Weekly"? The building is old with high, high ceilings and elaborate cornice around the room. The answer given was that is was decorated as they could see, but getting someone 12 feet up a ladder every week to dust it was a major health and safety problem. Why the CQC think that there is any harm coming from cornice is beyond all of us who have heard it.
Its in the same vein as banning magazines in doctor`s and dentist`s waiting rooms because they are a "cross infection risk".
Anyway. The practice passed, and now has a lovely marketing tool it can use by saying that the CQC spent 9.75 hours examining the practice and was very happy. Pats on the head all around. So it may have benefitted the business. But who the hell looks on a CQC website to choose their dentist? And on the practice website who would realise who the CQC are? Few.
Still, nice to know that the practice owner`s £800 per annum taken by the CQC goes to such good use.
Not.
Wednesday, 5 December 2012
Wednesday, 28 November 2012
It has, as you can see, been many months since I last even glanced at my own blog. Much rubbish has gone under my own professional bridge in that time, most of it very expensive and involving two subjects; the Care Quality Commission, and HTM01-05.
I`ll tell you later about those. If you have the time.
But yesterday we did have a very good session of training from the Dental Buying Group (DBG), on Fire Safety. Useful in that I`d really rather not die in a fire, or have my staff patients and business go up in smoke either.
We`re doing well enough. We have a full fire alarm and emergency lighting. I`ll be doing a new fire risk assessment (IMHO one of the only "risk assessments" actually worth doing) and we`ll have a new fire exit door plus nice shiny panic bar fitted at the back of the building.
However, disabled access is also a hot topic, and though we have no stairlift (all our rooms are on the first floor - that`s up the stairs if you`re American) I have been told that fitting one means the fire exit then becomes narrowed and you comply with one rule/law/guideline only to be screwed over royally by another.
So I `phoned the Fire Service. Nice chap, meet `em everywhere; who said we`d probably be OK as we have TWO fire exits and staircases, but all this was actually GUIDANCE.
That`s fair enough. But if it all goes pear-shaped one day, I wonder how the Law will see it?
I`ll come back to the CQC, HTM and disabled access another day.
Denplan day tomorrow at Coombe Abbey near Coventry. That`ll be a good day.
I`ll tell you later about those. If you have the time.
But yesterday we did have a very good session of training from the Dental Buying Group (DBG), on Fire Safety. Useful in that I`d really rather not die in a fire, or have my staff patients and business go up in smoke either.
We`re doing well enough. We have a full fire alarm and emergency lighting. I`ll be doing a new fire risk assessment (IMHO one of the only "risk assessments" actually worth doing) and we`ll have a new fire exit door plus nice shiny panic bar fitted at the back of the building.
However, disabled access is also a hot topic, and though we have no stairlift (all our rooms are on the first floor - that`s up the stairs if you`re American) I have been told that fitting one means the fire exit then becomes narrowed and you comply with one rule/law/guideline only to be screwed over royally by another.
So I `phoned the Fire Service. Nice chap, meet `em everywhere; who said we`d probably be OK as we have TWO fire exits and staircases, but all this was actually GUIDANCE.
That`s fair enough. But if it all goes pear-shaped one day, I wonder how the Law will see it?
I`ll come back to the CQC, HTM and disabled access another day.
Denplan day tomorrow at Coombe Abbey near Coventry. That`ll be a good day.
Sunday, 3 October 2010
Do you like dentistry?
Am I mad? Who asks that sort of question and gets the answer "Yes"?
No one in their right mind likes receiving dental treament, any more than they like having abdominal surgery. But we just have to have it, or go around looking like we have a row of antique tombstones in our mouths, and suffer excruciating pains.
And dentistry still has this music hall image of me with my foot in the patient`s chest "drawing" a tooth. Or getting the Black and Decker out.
But you do the subject, and yourself, a huge disservice if you believe that. Modern dentistry, provided by people who care about it, need not be painful, or even (in the long term) expensive. We pride ourselves on taking all the time YOU need to get the jobs done. The equipment is modern, the techniques right up-to-date, and the staff kind. What more can we do? (No we`re not doing it for free!)
If you are a regular patient of ours then I am certain you already know this. If you`re a new patient, please `phone us, and we`ll gladly send an information pack to you.
No one in their right mind likes receiving dental treament, any more than they like having abdominal surgery. But we just have to have it, or go around looking like we have a row of antique tombstones in our mouths, and suffer excruciating pains.
And dentistry still has this music hall image of me with my foot in the patient`s chest "drawing" a tooth. Or getting the Black and Decker out.
But you do the subject, and yourself, a huge disservice if you believe that. Modern dentistry, provided by people who care about it, need not be painful, or even (in the long term) expensive. We pride ourselves on taking all the time YOU need to get the jobs done. The equipment is modern, the techniques right up-to-date, and the staff kind. What more can we do? (No we`re not doing it for free!)
If you are a regular patient of ours then I am certain you already know this. If you`re a new patient, please `phone us, and we`ll gladly send an information pack to you.
The Equality Act
The madness continues.....
Here in Merry Old UK (PLC) we are equal in the eyes of the law - if not actually in the eyes or minds of each other. I`ll say no more on THAT but LEGALLY all of us are to be treated the same, regardless of race, religion, nationality, etc etc. This is a good thing. It is the only civilised way to treat one another. I would hate it if someone from another nation started dissing the English without good reason (there are after all several good reasons available for them to choose from), so I don`t do it myself.
But now we are all MORE equal. Bring forth the Equality Act.
Now, up until 30th Sept., if I or a staff member at Larcholme was rude in a racist or sexist, or religion-ist way, that individual can be prosecuted under English Law by the offended party.
Starting on 1st October, it gets MUCH more complicated. Let`s say nurse Freda tells nurse Daisy a joke, and nurse Daisy thinks that said joke is offensive in her eyes, even if nurse Daisy and her race, nationality, religion, favourite rock band etc. were NOT a part of the joke, nurse Daisy can complain to, and sue - ME. The employer. Who may have had his head in your mouth at the time, or be on a course in East Grinstead, or topping up his tan in Borth. Suddenly I am resposible for my staff actions and thoughts not only to the public, but to everybody including each other.
Thank you Theresa May, Tory, for this. Another Sword of Damocles to hang over my head.
Here in Merry Old UK (PLC) we are equal in the eyes of the law - if not actually in the eyes or minds of each other. I`ll say no more on THAT but LEGALLY all of us are to be treated the same, regardless of race, religion, nationality, etc etc. This is a good thing. It is the only civilised way to treat one another. I would hate it if someone from another nation started dissing the English without good reason (there are after all several good reasons available for them to choose from), so I don`t do it myself.
But now we are all MORE equal. Bring forth the Equality Act.
Now, up until 30th Sept., if I or a staff member at Larcholme was rude in a racist or sexist, or religion-ist way, that individual can be prosecuted under English Law by the offended party.
Starting on 1st October, it gets MUCH more complicated. Let`s say nurse Freda tells nurse Daisy a joke, and nurse Daisy thinks that said joke is offensive in her eyes, even if nurse Daisy and her race, nationality, religion, favourite rock band etc. were NOT a part of the joke, nurse Daisy can complain to, and sue - ME. The employer. Who may have had his head in your mouth at the time, or be on a course in East Grinstead, or topping up his tan in Borth. Suddenly I am resposible for my staff actions and thoughts not only to the public, but to everybody including each other.
Thank you Theresa May, Tory, for this. Another Sword of Damocles to hang over my head.
Tuesday, 14 September 2010
The Coalition - I hate it already
Well, the new Coalition government has been in power for less than six months and I am sick of their attitude already.
I have just returned from a meeting of dental types, concerning the new Care Quality Commission (CQC) This is a NEW QUANGO (remember? We were to have a "bonfire of the QUANGOs" I was told), started off by New Labour to oversee amongst other things, dentistry.
Now this is strange, because we already have: PCTs, HSE, GDC, and English law doing this. But no, more paperpushing for the unemployable masses must be laid on. So yet ANOTHER body with substantial powers to shut me down should I not agree with the Politically Correct twaddle they peddle. And there are no employees there there who have ANY dental training. So they don`t know what they`re talking about.
And WORSE, this government has seen fit to increase it`s remit and powers substantially in a new White Paper.
So I shall have to apply, and soon, to join this merry band, and have an extended CRB check done on me. And eventually all my staff too. The application form is either 42 or 90 pages long - no one really knows. And no one knows how much it will cost me every year to pay these goons for poking their powerful noses into my business. Rumour control says it may cost anything up yo £5600 to join.
Morale in dentistry in the UK is very low amongst practice owners. Associates don`t give a damn. Why should they? They don`t have to do any of it or pay for it.
I am very glad that neither of my children are going into the so-called health care "professions"".
I have just returned from a meeting of dental types, concerning the new Care Quality Commission (CQC) This is a NEW QUANGO (remember? We were to have a "bonfire of the QUANGOs" I was told), started off by New Labour to oversee amongst other things, dentistry.
Now this is strange, because we already have: PCTs, HSE, GDC, and English law doing this. But no, more paperpushing for the unemployable masses must be laid on. So yet ANOTHER body with substantial powers to shut me down should I not agree with the Politically Correct twaddle they peddle. And there are no employees there there who have ANY dental training. So they don`t know what they`re talking about.
And WORSE, this government has seen fit to increase it`s remit and powers substantially in a new White Paper.
So I shall have to apply, and soon, to join this merry band, and have an extended CRB check done on me. And eventually all my staff too. The application form is either 42 or 90 pages long - no one really knows. And no one knows how much it will cost me every year to pay these goons for poking their powerful noses into my business. Rumour control says it may cost anything up yo £5600 to join.
Morale in dentistry in the UK is very low amongst practice owners. Associates don`t give a damn. Why should they? They don`t have to do any of it or pay for it.
I am very glad that neither of my children are going into the so-called health care "professions"".
Thursday, 9 September 2010
The Nice Lady from the Dental Buying Group (a company who sell a variety of useful and well-presented services to us) came to see us a couple of weeks ago and gave us out annual cross infection training. One item mentioned was, that not only is the package of newly sterilised instruments to be date stamped 21 days hence (or 60 if a vacuum steriliser) BUT ALSO the nurse must initial the package, AND put another date stamp on said package with that day`s date on it - ie when packaged.
So, TWO dates (say, todays and 21 days hence) AND an initial.
I cannot see anything in the tortuous cross infection regs about this at all. It`s a stupid "regulation" if it exists, proving nothing. My staff are all doing it because they are worried rigid about being sued. Logic has gone clean out of the window with all this stuff. I have told them to stop it as it`s silly. I suspect there are other near mutinies in other practices now too.
Having pulled HTM to bits I could find no recommendation or rule which supports this. Denplan also know only of ONE date stamp to apply.
I emailed DBG with a "Complaint" and within 30 minutes a lady `phoned us up. It is NOT a ruling (and neither is the whole of HTM 01-05 a LAW or ACT but a huge RECOMMENDATION for which your hind will be tanned if you ignore any of it), but a "idea" for some practices who are, IMHO, so disorganised that their nurses don`t know whether to stamp today`s date or 21/60 days hence date. She said that some inspectors have picked up an "out of date" pack to be told by the nurses that "that`s the date they were sterilised". Some other nurses IN THE SAME PRACTICE think "that`s the use-by date".
Yeesh.
The way it was presented at the DBG training was as a thoroughgoing solid new rule, and my staff picked it up as just that. And started doing it without any prompting from me beasue they are way ahead of the curve.
DBG were very apologetic and said they would ensure that their trainers mentioned this as a possible aid to, er, well, stupidity I guess, rather than something to be slavishly followed.
It may well only take another few seconds to date stamp twice and initial EVERY PACK YOU USE, but all this time adds up, and takes my staff away from TREATING THE PATIENTS.
So there, that`s another falacy blown up. And the problem is dear reader, there is so much regulation and obfuscation from varying "authorities" that I now spend a part of each week trying to unpick it. Alexander the Great had the best idea. Draw your sword and cut through the whole lot of it.
So, TWO dates (say, todays and 21 days hence) AND an initial.
I cannot see anything in the tortuous cross infection regs about this at all. It`s a stupid "regulation" if it exists, proving nothing. My staff are all doing it because they are worried rigid about being sued. Logic has gone clean out of the window with all this stuff. I have told them to stop it as it`s silly. I suspect there are other near mutinies in other practices now too.
Having pulled HTM to bits I could find no recommendation or rule which supports this. Denplan also know only of ONE date stamp to apply.
I emailed DBG with a "Complaint" and within 30 minutes a lady `phoned us up. It is NOT a ruling (and neither is the whole of HTM 01-05 a LAW or ACT but a huge RECOMMENDATION for which your hind will be tanned if you ignore any of it), but a "idea" for some practices who are, IMHO, so disorganised that their nurses don`t know whether to stamp today`s date or 21/60 days hence date. She said that some inspectors have picked up an "out of date" pack to be told by the nurses that "that`s the date they were sterilised". Some other nurses IN THE SAME PRACTICE think "that`s the use-by date".
Yeesh.
The way it was presented at the DBG training was as a thoroughgoing solid new rule, and my staff picked it up as just that. And started doing it without any prompting from me beasue they are way ahead of the curve.
DBG were very apologetic and said they would ensure that their trainers mentioned this as a possible aid to, er, well, stupidity I guess, rather than something to be slavishly followed.
It may well only take another few seconds to date stamp twice and initial EVERY PACK YOU USE, but all this time adds up, and takes my staff away from TREATING THE PATIENTS.
So there, that`s another falacy blown up. And the problem is dear reader, there is so much regulation and obfuscation from varying "authorities" that I now spend a part of each week trying to unpick it. Alexander the Great had the best idea. Draw your sword and cut through the whole lot of it.
Tuesday, 7 September 2010
First post (last post?)
Well I`ve finally had enough. Seeing my practice manager flogging herself over a load of stupid "Child Protection" documents that the PCT (Primary "Care" Trust) has sent us and being genuinely worried about losing her job if she doesn`t do it has forced me to become even MORE vocal than before.
Why can`t the PCT just send us a flowchart with ALL the names and `phone numbers needed on that, instead of making every overworked general dental practice in the town do it themselves? Damned office types.
So in this blog you`ll get to read of all the new stuff that comes into the practice, which might mean you like coming here more, AND you`ll get to read about all the RUBBISH from HMG we have to wade through which will make NONE of us any wiser, safer, better looked after, or richer. And believe me there is a SEA of junk floating around, all of which must be completed by yesterday to enable me just to continue practicing.
Stick around and be horrified. Then write to your MP for me.
Why can`t the PCT just send us a flowchart with ALL the names and `phone numbers needed on that, instead of making every overworked general dental practice in the town do it themselves? Damned office types.
So in this blog you`ll get to read of all the new stuff that comes into the practice, which might mean you like coming here more, AND you`ll get to read about all the RUBBISH from HMG we have to wade through which will make NONE of us any wiser, safer, better looked after, or richer. And believe me there is a SEA of junk floating around, all of which must be completed by yesterday to enable me just to continue practicing.
Stick around and be horrified. Then write to your MP for me.
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