Welcome

This course is for dental nurses completing CPD on the GDC Safe Practitioner Framework Professionalism learning outcome P 1.8: Explain how and where to report any patient safety issues which arise.

SPF fit: This course supports the GDC Safe Practitioner Framework domain of Professionalism, sub domain Ethics and Integrity. It focuses on learning outcome P 1.8 and links closely to behaviours P(B)5, P(B)7, P(B)9 and P(B)14.

Dental nurses work at points where safety issues first appear: medical histories, chairside checks, infection prevention and decontamination, appointments, records, reception conversations, equipment checks and patient handover. Reporting turns a concern into action and enables learning within the team.

Why This Course Matters

• Safety issues are not always dramatic: near misses and repeated minor failures can indicate system risk.
• Dental nurses notice what others may miss: you see the patient, the workflow, the notes and the surgery setup.
• Reporting protects future patients: learning from one event can prevent the next.
• Routes differ: internal reporting, LFPSE, regulators, safeguarding, MHRA, ICO and RIDDOR serve different purposes.
• Silence can become harm: if a concern is ignored, escalation may be professionally necessary.

A Simple Learner Spine

• Make safe: act immediately if someone is at risk.
• Tell: inform the right person locally.
• Record: report the facts through the correct system.
• Escalate: use external or specialist routes where required.
• Learn: check that actions, feedback and improvement happen.