Appendix: Decision support tool This decision support tool has been developed as general guidance for dental practices and services undertaking self-assessment. It lists common actions within and across the Standards and describes satisfactory and unsatisfactory performance. Policies, Documents detail the date they become effective and the Documentation is: procedures and/or date they are due for revision. out-dated protocols are in use Source documents are referenced, particularly they incomplete are represented as best practice. either overly complex and detailed or lacking Documents may reference the consultation processes in specificity undertaken or collaborative group involved in not related to the practice, for example policy their development. developed by another organisation or body and not Documents are adapted to the specific context and setting adapted for use by the dental practice in which they are used by the dental practice. not accessible or unknown to Team members know the documents exist, can access them, and know and use the contents. Monitor and report Data sampling or collection occurs across the Data is not sufficiently proximal to the issue being dental practice. examined to provide meaningful information. Quality of data is known. No feedback is provided or the feedback provided is not Processes exist to test and improve the quality of sufficiently specific to be of use. the data. Feedback is not available to individuals, team members, Feedback is provided to targeted and is available governance committees or areas that can across the dental practice. make improvements. Data presented in reports is meaningful and relevant. Data is not sufficiently recent to be relevant to the current Data collection and reporting informs a problem area or provisioning of service. an area of specific risk. Timeliness of the collection and review of the data is consistent with the being examined. Action is taken The action being taken: Action claims to be organisation-wide, but relates to a to improve localised process or situation and there is no clear is applicable broadly across the dental practice
Appendix: Decision support tool This decision support tool has been developed as general guidance for dental practices and services undertaking self-assessment. It lists common actions within and across the Standards and describes satisfactory and unsatisfactory performance. Policies, procedures and/or protocols are in use Documents detail the date they become effective and the date they are due for revision. Source documents are referenced, particularly they are represented as best practice. Documents may reference the consultation processes undertaken or collaborative group involved in their development. Documents are adapted to the specific context and setting in which they are used by the dental practice. Team members know the documents exist, can access them, and know and use the contents. Documentation is: out-dated incomplete either overly complex and detailed or lacking in specificity not related to the practice, for example policy developed by another organisation or body and not adapted for use by the dental practice not accessible or unknown to Monitor and report Data sampling or collection occurs across the dental practice. Quality of data is known. Processes exist to test and improve the quality of the data. Feedback is provided to targeted and is available across the dental practice. Data presented in reports is meaningful and relevant. Data collection and reporting informs a problem area or an area of specific risk. Timeliness of the collection and review of the data is consistent with the being examined. Data is not sufficiently proximal to the issue being examined to provide meaningful information. No feedback is provided or the feedback provided is not sufficiently specific to be of use. Feedback is not available to individuals, team members, governance committees or areas that can make improvements. Data is not sufficiently recent to be relevant to the current provisioning of service. Action is taken to improve The action being taken: is applicable broadly across the dental practice Action claims to be organisation-wide, but relates to a localised process or situation and there is no clear
NSQHS-Standards-Guide-for-Dental-Practices.docx