Handover and Referral Routes

Handover and Referral Routes supports meeting I 2.3. For dental nurses, this means providing clear, accurate information when patients move between professionals.

Team working is a safety system: know roles and limits, communicate clearly, and protect people who raise concerns.

These issues arise in everyday moments: a patient who seems unsure, a receptionist seeking guidance, a dentist moving quickly, a trainee asking for feedback, a digital message, a handover, or a colleague worried about raising a concern. Interpersonal skill is responding with care, clarity and professional judgement.

Practical markers

• Notice: what the patient, colleague, situation or system is communicating.
• Choose: a communication method, team route or escalation step that fits the context.
• Respect: role boundaries, confidentiality, dignity, cultural needs and emotional impact.
• Check: understanding, responsibility, handover and whether the next person has the information they need.
• Follow up: through records, feedback, supervision, team discussion or concern-raising where needed.

Useful language can be simple: "Can we pause and check whose role this is, so the patient gets the right support?" The phrase is calm and professional, and gives the team a clear reason to pause, clarify or escalate.

SPF behaviour links

Roles of dental and other healthcare professionals in learning and working within dental and wider healthcare teams helps dental nurses protect patient dignity, team trust and safe care.