The National Health Service (General Dental Services) (Scotland) Regulation 2010 Schedule 1: Terms of Service for Dentists [1] specifies mandatory items to include in a patient information leaflet. The National Standards for Dental Services [2] indicates other items which should be easily accessible to the patient and could be included in a patient information leaflet (sometimes referred to as a practice information leaflet) or provided separately in a different format.
These items are listed below.
a Terms of Service item
b National Standards item
- Include partners, associates and assistants a
- Name (including first name), as it appears on the dental register a
- Sex a
- Date of registration as a dental practitioner and details of any dental qualifications that are recognised by the General Dental Council (GDC) a
- Whether the dentist or any person referred to above provides only orthodontic or other specialist treatment a
- Whether a dental hygienist or dental therapist is employed at the practice premises a
- Address and telephone numbers of practice, including the registered name and address if the practice is a corporate body a
- Address to which correspondence should be sent, including for mobile surgeries a
- Practice opening hours including days and hours when each dentist is usually at the practice a
- Directions to the practice b
- Whether there is access to the dental surgery without the use of stairs a
- The accessibility of the practice premises (including surgery and toilets) to wheelchair users a
- How the practice meets requirements for additional needs, for example hearing induction loop, availability of an interpreter, large-print literature on request (See Improving Access for Disabled Patients) b
- Details of any languages other than English that are spoken by the dentist, in line with each individual dentist’s wishes, and information on how any particular language needs might be met a
- Policy on accepting new patients b
- How to book an appointment and any systems used to remind the patient of their appointment b
- Arrangements for out-of-hours care (see SDCEP guidance ‘Emergency Dental Care’ [3] for information) b
- Policy for offering emergency appointments (see SDCEP guidance ‘Emergency Dental Care’ [3] for information) b
- Guide to charges and how to pay b
- Whether NHS only or NHS and private care are offered, and whether any insurance schemes are offered b
- Charges for failing to keep appointments b
- A statement about how to provide feedback or to raise a complaint b
- A statement that all personal information is kept in the strictest confidence and the practice complies with the Data Protection Act (2018) b and the UK GDPR [4]
- A statement that the practice’s inspection report and details of other quality improvement measures, such as audit, are available on request b
Put together and make available an up-to-date patients information leaflet (see Patient Information Leaflet Example template) which includes, at least, those items set out in the Terms of Service [1].
Consider making all other information shown above available either in the patient information leaflet or in some other format, e.g. on the practice website or displayed on posters, notices or supplementary leaflets in the waiting area.
Consider regular updates to provide patients with information about changes to the practice and/or answers to frequently asked questions.
Sources of information
- The National Health Service (General Dental Services) (Scotland) Regulation 2010 Schedule 1: Terms of Service for Dentists
- National Standards for Dental Services
- Emergency Dental Care: Dental Clinical Guidance: Scottish Dental Clinical Effectiveness Programme (2007) reviewed and confirmed as extant 2013
- The UK GDPR. Information Commissioners Office