Exam Pass Notes

Download (Word)

SPF P 1.8: key points

• Patient safety issues include harm, near misses, hazards, unsafe systems and repeated failures.
• Dental nurses must make the patient safe immediately, then report the event without delay.
• Internal reporting routes can include the treating dentist, senior nurse, practice manager, clinical lead, safeguarding lead, infection prevention and control lead, data protection lead, the accident book, an incident form or an electronic reporting system.
• Report near misses: they identify weaknesses where harm nearly occurred and help prevent recurrence.
• LFPSE is NHS England's learning service for recording patient safety events; it promotes national learning and does not perform investigations into individual incidents.
• External routes depend on the concern: regulators, commissioners, safeguarding teams, the MHRA, the ICO, RIDDOR or the GDC may be relevant.
• CQC statutory notifications cover defined events in England; Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland use their own regulatory routes.
• Incidents involving devices or medicines may require reporting to the MHRA via the Yellow Card scheme.
• Records should be factual, timely and clear about risk, actual or potential harm, actions taken, escalation and planned follow-up.
• If local reporting is blocked or a serious concern is ignored, escalate through the next appropriate route without delay.

Exam memory line: make safe, report locally, record facts, preserve evidence, escalate externally where needed, and check that learning happens.