QIP and the Australian Dental Association Inc. (ADA Inc.) worked collaboratively to develop Introductory Dental Practice Accreditation. The Scheme encourages private dental practices to adopt the

National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards into existing quality systems.

QIP is the exclusive independent accreditation provider of Introductory Dental Practice Accreditation.

Achieving accreditation demonstrates a commitment to the provision of excellent dental care and continuous quality improvement within the practice environment.

 

About Introductory Dental Practice Accreditation

 

Introductory Dental Practice Accreditation is voluntary, profession-led and aims to promote continuous quality improvement.

The program is responsive to the needs and expectations of the dental profession and provides a sound evidence-based approach to accreditation by focusing on the first six NSQHS Standards that are applicable to dentistry. The accreditation cycle is two years from the date accreditation is awarded. During this time practices can undertake a process of continuous quality improvement.

 

Accreditation assists dental practices to:

• Build a culture of quality and patient safety
• Reduce clinical and general risks
• Educate and engage staff in quality improvement processes and systems.
• Promote the quality and safety of services to both patients and the community.

The NSQHS Standards

 

The Commission developed the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards as part of a new national accreditation scheme. The primary aim of the NSQHS Standards is to protect the public from harm and to improve the quality of care provided in hospital, day procedure and dental settings.

 

The accreditation scheme commenced in January 2013, when accreditation to the NSQHS Standards became mandatory for the majority of public dental services and voluntary for private dental practices. All hospitals and day procedure centres are also being assessed against the NSQHS Standards – so the same standards for safety and quality are being used across Australia.

The NSQHS Standards encompass 10 areas where it is known that people are harmed as a result their health care and where there is good evidence of how to provide better care. Of these, only Standards 1 – 6 apply to dental practices, the remaining Standards do not directly relate to the care provided in dental practices.

 

National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS)

Standards for Dentists

 

The NSQHS Standards were developed by the Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC) in 2011 to improve the quality of health service provision in Australia. The Standards provide a nationally consistent statement of the level of care consumers should be able to expect from health services to which the Standards are applicable.

The NSQHS Standards aim to protect the public from harm and improve the quality of health service provision.

 

Participating dental practices are assessed against the first six NSQHS Standard Applicable to Dentistry:

 

Standard 1: Governance for Safety and Quality in Health Service Organisations

Standard 2: Partnering with Consumers

Standard 3: Preventing and Controlling Healthcare Associated Infections

Standard 4: Medication Safety

Standard 5: Patient Identification and Procedure Matching

Standard 6: Clinical Handover

 

QIP is approved by the ACSQHC as a provider of accreditation under the NSQHS Standards and is the exclusive independent accreditation provider for Introductory Dental Practice Accreditation.

 

Accreditation

 

Accreditation checks and ensures that a dental practice has systems and processes in place to improve the safety and quality of care for patients. The process for a dental practice to become accredited involves:

• Self-assessment of performance against the NSQHS Standards 1 to 6
• An independent agency reviewing the dental practice
• The dental practice making suggested changes as part of a continuous quality improvement approach, and monitoring ongoing performance.