So with less than a month left until Dental Foundation Training interviews... time to brush up on that clinical governance knowledge...

Clinical governance is an NHS quality assurance framework which ensures organisations are accountable for continuous quality improvement and safeguarding high standards of care. 

However you remember the definition of clinical governance, word it in a way you remember and what comes across naturally especially in an interview situation. 

A well known mnemonic to remember the themes is PACCER PIRATES. But what does this stand for?

Patient and public involvement - such as patient feedback forms, engagement events

Access - fair and accessible care to all groups as well as access to emergency slots

Clinical records - the 4 Cs of records: clear, complete, concise and contemporaneous 

Child protection and Safeguarding - appropriate training, recording of concerns

Emergencies - needle sticks, adverse incidents, medical emergencies

Risk Management - how to perform a risk assessment 

Prevention and Public Health - such as use of Delivering Better Oral Health guidelines

Infection Control - HTM 01-05

Radiology and Radiography - guidelines such as IRR and IRMER 

Audit - to read more about audit click here

Teamwork - scope of practice, effective teamwork

Evidenced-based Dentistry - to read more about EBD click here

Safety - patient saftey such as COSHH and RIDDOR

The important thing with clinical governance in interview situations like DFT or DCT, is that you link your knowledge of clinical governance to a particular scenario they may give you... this demonstrates understanding. If you list issues without linking them to a scenario, you are just proving you are good at memorising lists!

If you have any queries please let me know in the comments below.