Quality Assurance Policy

Park View Dental Practice: The Victoria Buildings, Heaton Park View, Newcastle, NE6 5BF

Email: admin@parkviewdentists.co.uk

Tel: 0191 265 9258

Person responsible: Dr Ian Grime

Version 1.0 | April 2026 | Next Review: April 2027

Our Commitment to Quality

At Park View Dental Practice, the quality and safety of the care we provide is our highest priority. We are committed to delivering dental services that are safe, effective, caring, responsive, and well-led - the five key standards used by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to assess dental practices across England.

We work continuously to improve the quality of our services, listen to our patients, support our team, and ensure full compliance with all relevant regulatory and professional standards.

Regulatory Framework

Our quality assurance approach is underpinned by the following:

  • Care Quality Commission (CQC): We are registered with the CQC as required by the Health & Social Care Act 2008. Our practice is assessed against CQC’s Single Assessment.

  • Framework (introduced May 2024), which uses 34 Quality Statements under the five key questions: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive, and Well-led.

  • General Dental Council (GDC): All dentists and dental care professionals at Park View Dental Practice are registered with the GDC and adhere to the Standards for the Dental Team, which set out the professional and ethical obligations of every dental professional.

  • Health & Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014: We meet the fundamental standards set out in these regulations as a condition of our CQC registration

  • NHS contractual obligations: For NHS patients, we comply with the NHS (General Dental Services Contracts) Regulations 2005 and all associated NHS England requirements.

Safe

Patient safety is at the heart of everything we do. Our safety measures include:

  • Robust infection prevention and control procedures compliant with HTM 01-05 guidance.

  • Regular decontamination audits and equipment maintenance checks.

  • Up-to-date medical emergency protocols, with trained staff and appropriate emergency equipment on site.

  • Thorough medical history reviews at every appointment.

  • Clear safeguarding procedures for children and vulnerable adults, with a designated safeguarding lead.

  • A significant event and incident reporting system to identify, learn from, and prevent errors.

  • Safe, documented prescribing and referral processes.

Effective

We are committed to providing care that achieves the best possible outcomes for every patient:

  • All clinical staff maintain their GDC registration and meet Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirements, keeping their knowledge and skills current.

  • We follow current NICE guidelines, Faculty of General Dental Practice (FGDP) clinical guidance, and evidence-based best practice in all aspects of treatment.

  • Treatment planning is person-centred and tailored to each patient's individual clinical needs, preferences, and circumstances.

  • We conduct regular clinical audits to monitor treatment outcomes and identify areas for improvement.

  • We carry out peer review and clinical governance activities as part of our ongoing professional development.

Caring

We treat every patient with compassion, dignity, and respect:

  • Patients are listened to and involved in decisions about their own care.

  • We obtain valid, informed consent before any treatment is carried out.

  • We communicate clearly and in a way that is easy to understand, checking that patients are comfortable with the information they have been given.

  • We respect the privacy and confidentiality of all patients at all times.

  • We welcome patients of all backgrounds, and our staff treat everyone without discrimination.

Responsive

We organise our services around the needs of our patients:

  • We offer flexible appointment times to accommodate working patients and those with other commitments.

  • We provide urgent and emergency appointment access for patients in pain or with acute dental problems.

  • Our premises are fully accessible - single level throughout, wheelchair accessible, with an accessible toilet on site.

  • We make reasonable adjustments for patients with disabilities, communication needs, or other access requirements.

  • We actively seek patient feedback and use it to improve our services.

  • We handle all complaints promptly, fairly, and transparently, with a clear process for patients to raise concerns.

Well-Led

Park View Dental Practice is led with a clear commitment to governance, transparency, and continuous improvement:

  • Dr Ian Grime has overall responsibility for clinical governance, regulatory compliance, and the quality of care provided at the practice.

  • We maintain a comprehensive suite of policies and procedures, reviewed at least annually, covering all aspects of patient care, safety, and practice management.

  • All staff receive induction training and ongoing professional development, including mandatory training in areas such as safeguarding, infection control, data protection, and equality and diversity.

  • We hold regular team meetings to share learning, discuss outcomes, and review any concerns or incidents.

  • We monitor complaints, feedback, and incidents to identify trends and drive improvements.

  • We engage fully and openly with CQC inspections and any regulatory feedback.

Patient Feedback & Complaints

We value feedback from our patients and use it to continually improve. If you have a concern or complaint about any aspect of your care or experience at Park View Dental Practice, please contact us:

Dr Ian Grime

Park View Dental Practice, The Victoria Buildings, Heaton Park View, Newcastle, NE6 5BF

Email: admin@parkviewdentists.co.uk | Tel: 0191 265 9258

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact:

Review

This statement is reviewed annually to ensure it remains accurate and reflects our current practice. We are committed to transparency and to sharing relevant quality information with our patients.

Version 1.0 | Approved by: Dr Ian Grime, Park View Dental Practice | April 2026 | Next Review: April 2027