FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT PUBLICATION
GUIDE TO THE INFORMATION PUBLISHED BY
Cowbridge Dental Care

This is a guide to the information published by each of the NHS dentists at Cowbridge Dental Care. This guide is the dentists’ Publication Scheme as required by the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

The dentists are :

• Dr. Jon Ayres
• Dr. Matthew Calder
• Dr. Eszter Kigyóssy

Introduction

This Publication Scheme is a complete guide to the information routinely made available to the public by the dentists at the Cowbridge Dental Care. It is not a complete list of publications since this will change as other things are produced, but it is a description of the classes of information that we provide. A full list of publications is available on our practice website or by contacting Hilary Hathway (or the acting Practice Manager in her absence) who is responsible for our Scheme.

This guide will be reviewed at regular intervals and we will monitor its effectiveness.

How much do they cost?

All publications are free unless otherwise stated.

How are they published?

All of the information is available in hard copy from Hilary Hathway (or the acting Practice Manager in her absence).

Your right to information

As well as our published information, present and former patients of the practice have the right to access the personal information that we hold about them in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998. Details of how to do this is contained in the Practice Data Protection Policy which is available from Hilary Hathway (or the acting Practice Manager in her absence).

Feedback

We have produced this guide in order to comply with the Freedom of Information Act 2000. The purpose of the Act is to encourage organizations working for the public to be more open about the information they have. We welcome your views on additional classes of information which might be included and on the publications themselves. If you have any comments or suggestions about the scheme, please send them in writing to Hilary Hathway (or the acting Practice Manager in her absence) at Cowbridge Dental Care.

Classes of information

We hold various types of information which we review, retain or dispose of according to NHS rules. Our information is classed into seven categories:

1. Who we are
2. Our services
3. Financial information
4. Information for patients and the public
5. Complaints
6. Our policies and procedures
7. This guide.
8. Cost of Information

Class 1: Who we are

Details of all the dentists, dental therapists and dental hygienists are contained in the practice information leaflet. Details include name, sex and date of first registration with the General Dental Council, specialist status and whether they are full or part time. The name of the practice manager is also included.

Class 2: Our services

Information about our services is contained in the practice’s patient information leaflet which is available at Reception as well as on our website. The information includes:

• Opening times
• Arrangements for emergency care
• Details of access to the premises for people with disabilities
• The languages we speak and the availability of interpreters
• Whether we have a dental hygienist or orthodontic treatment is available
• Whether we provide intravenous sedation for anxious patients
• Information about the care and treatment provided by the practice

We offer NHS dental care to children up to the age of 18 and adults up to the age of 25 who are in full time education. Otherwise, adult patients are treated on a private basis. We primarily offer private dental care under our practice membership scheme; Cowbridge Essentials (a maintenance scheme covering examinations and hygienist visits paid by monthly direct debit) as well as individual private items of service. Orthodontic services are provided under both the NHS (under the conditions set out by the Cardiff and Vale University Local Health Board) and privately.

Class 3: Financial information

We have information about:

• The cost of NHS treatment
• Entitlement to exemption and remission from NHS dental charges
• Our private charges

Our income from the NHS derives primarily from a monthly contractual value based on completing a certain number of Units of Dental Activity (UDAs) per month. There are also some allowances for such things as continuing professional development.

Treatment charges should be paid at the appointment during which the treatment is carried out. We provide a range of payment methods; accepting cash, cheque (accompanied by a valid cheque guarantee card), debit cards and most credit cards.

Where dental crowns, veneers, bridges, mouthguards, dentures or other extensive treatment is to be carried out, we may ask for a deposit or full payment in advance.

Class 4: Information for patients and the public

We make available information leaflets about:

• Types of dental treatment
• Gum Disease
• Denture Care
• Denture Stomatitis
• Immediate Dentures
• Tooth Extraction
• Jaw Problems and Remedial Jaw Exercises
• Tooth Whitening

Copies of leaflets are available from Reception.

Class 5: Complaints

We have a practice complaints procedure, a copy of which is available from Hilary Hathway (or the acting Practice Manager in her absence).

Class 6: Practice policies

We have policies and procedures which ensure that the practice operates in a safe and efficient manner. These include:

• Health and Safety
• Data Protection
• Data Security
• Practice Rules
• Infection Control Policy
• Sharps Policy
• Confidentiality Policy
• Disciplinary Procedure
• Practice Payment Policy
• Sickness Absence and Pay Policy
• Complaints Policy
• Grievance Procedure
• Preventing Violence and Aggression at Work Policy
• Equal Opportunities Policy
• Disability Policy
• Maternity Policy
• Redundancy Policy

Copies of the policies are available from Reception.

Class 7: This guide

This guide will be reviewed regularly and we will also keep the list of publications up to date.

From January 2005 we have been required by the Freedom of Information Act to respond to requests from the public to access recorded information that we hold. There are some exemptions to this right and it does not change the rights of our patients to have all of their personal information kept strictly confidential and available to them on request.

Class 8: Cost of Information

For the most part, we will charge you only for hard copies. Some information is available free, but for others there may be a charge. The charges will vary according to how information is made available. Charges are as follows:

a) Hard copy via the Dental Practice – A fee of £5 per hard copy of this publication. A single print-out is available from Hilary Hathway (or the acting Manager in her absence).

b) Leaflets and brochures - free of charge for leaflets or booklets on, for example, services we offer to the public. A list is available from Hilary Hathway (or the acting Manager in her absence).

The charges will be reviewed regularly.

Further information

Further information on the Freedom of Information Act is available from the following websites:

www.informationcommissioner.gov.England/Wales/Northern Ireland
www.lcd.gov.England/Wales/Northern Ireland
www.foi-England/Wales/Northern Ireland.org
www.foi.nhs.England/Wales/Northern Ireland/practice