GUIDE TO THE INFORMATION PUBLISHED BY PAULINE TAYLOR DENTAL SURGERY
This is a guide to the information published by each of the NHS dentists at Pauline Taylor's Dental Practice. This guide is the denists' Publication Scheme as required by the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
The dentists are:
Mrs Pauline Taylor
Mrs Jill Hastings
Mrs Tanya McMinn
Mr Justin Blake
Miss Joanna Frazer
Introduction
This Publication Scheme is a complete guide to the information routinely made available to the public by dentists at the Pauline Taylor Dental Surgery. It is not a complete list of publications since this will change as other things are produced, but it is a description of the classes of information that we provide. A full list of publications is available by contacting the Practice Manager who is responsible for our Scheme.
How Much Do They Cost?
All Publications are free unless otherwise stated.
How Are They Published?
All of the information is available in hard copy from the Practice Manager.
Your Right To Information
As well as our published information, present and former patients of the practice have the right to access the personal information that we hold about them in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998. Details of how to do this is contained in the Practice Data Protection Policy which is available from the Practice Manager.
Feedback
We have produced this guide in order to comply with the Freedom of Information Act 2000. The purpose of the Act is to encourage organisations working for the public to be more open about the information they have. We welcome your views on additional classes of information which might be included and on the publications themselves. If you have any comments or suggestions about the scheme, please send them in writing to the Practice Manager at the Dental Surgery, 34 High Street, Draperstown, BT45 7AA or e-mail taylordentist34@yahoo.co.uk
Classes of Information
We hold various types of information which we review, retain or dispose of according to NHS rules. Our information is classed into seven categories:
1. Who We Are
2. Our Services
4. Information for patients and the public
5. Complaints
6. Our policies and procedures
7. This guide
Details of all the dentists and dental hygienists are contained in the practice information leaflet. Details include name, sex and date of first registration with the General Dental Council, specialist status and whether they are full or part time. The name of the practice manager is also included.
Information is contained in the practice's patient information leaflet which is available at Reception. The information includes:
- Opening times
- Arrangements for emergency care
- Details of access to the premises for people with disabilities
- Whether we have a dental hygienist or orthodontic treatment available
- Whether we provide intravenous sedation for anxious patients
- Information about the care and treatment provided by the practice
We offer all our registered NHS patients NHS or private care, but this policy is reviewed regularly.
Class 3: Financial information
We have information about:
- The cost of NHS treatment
- Entitlement to exemption and remission from NHS dental charges
- Our private charges
Our income from the NHS derives primarily from monthly fees for the number of patients we have on our list and for individual items of treatment. There are also some allowances for such things as continuing professional development and the level of our commitment to the NHS.
Class 4: Information for the patients and the public
We make available information leaflets about:
- Types of dental treatment
- Healthy diet
- Healthy teeth
- Reducing anxiety about dental care
- Other health information
- NHS information leaflets
Copies of leaflets are available from Reception.
We have a practice complaints procedure, a copy of which is available from the Practice Manager.
We have policies and procedures which ensure that the practice operates in a safe and efficient manner. These include:
- Data Protection
- Data Security
- Confidentiality
- Health and Safety
- Radiation protection
- Infection Control
- Payments Policy
- Equal Opportunities
- Disability policy
Copies of the policies are available from Reception.
This guide will be reviewed regularly and we will also keep the list of publications up to date.
From January 2005 we will be required by th eFreedom of Information Act to respond to requests from the public to access recorded information that we hold. There are some exemptions to this right and it does not change the rights of our patients to have all of their personal information kept strictly confidential and available to them on request.
Further information
Further information on the Freedom of Information Act is available from the following website: