Practitioner Support

Career Support Unit (CSU)

The Career Support Unit has been established across the former Oxford Deanery to provide a comprehensive careers service and performance support for all doctors and dentists in primary and secondary care.  The service is available for senior medical students, trainees and all established doctors and dentists at any stage in their career. For full details please visit the CSU website

Practitioner Advice and Support Schemes (PASS)

PASS Schemes are usually owned and run by practitioners under the auspices of Local Dental Committees. They offer support and mentoring to colleagues in difficulty in the hope of resolving issues before the need for formal investigation. The GDC has supported this ‘practitioners supporting practitioners’ approach.

The Thames Valley PASS Scheme for Dentists

The Thames Valley PASS programme has been developed by the Local Dental Committees of Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Oxfordshire with support from Primary Care Trusts in the three counties and with the approval of local GDPs.

Objectives

• The early identification of dental practitioners whose performance may be giving cause for concern.
• To provide dental practitioners with skilled help, support and guidance.
• To provide assurance to the public, politicians and the profession that the issue of performance is being addressed responsibly.

The PASS Group consists of professional, dental public health, and lay members, all of whom operate under a Code of Conduct and follow Caldicott Guidelines on Confidentiality.

Referral

• A dental practitioner may refer her/himself to the PASS Group if s/he feels that s/he would benefit from support or assistance.
• The Primary Care Trust may ask the PASS Group to offer support, after consideration by the PCT Concerns Group.
• The Consultant in Dental Public Health or Dental Practice Adviser may suggest PASS participation.
• A concerned colleague or member of staff may contact the group.
• Other bodies such as the Dental Practice Board of General Dental Council might refer.

How the Thames Valley PASS group can help?

• The PASS Group may decide that no action is required.
• The Practitioner may be encouraged to work with members of the group to try  to resolve the issues of concern.
• The issues may be such that it is not felt appropriate for the PASS Group to intervene. In these circumstances, the PASS Group will refer the matter back to the originator of the referral so that alternative action can be taken.

Contacting Thames Valley PASS Group

For information about the Thames Valley PASS Group look at the PASS Group Website

If you would like independent advice about referring a colleague or yourself to the Thames Valley PASS Group please telephone in complete confidence, one of the following

The Northamptonshire PASS Scheme for Dentists

The PASS Scheme Group for Northamptonshire comprises:

• The Dental Tutor for Northamptonshire
• The Northamptonshire LDC Chairman
• The Northamptonshire LDC Secretary
• The Consultant in Dental Public Health
• A Lay Member
• Other Ad Hoc Members who have been co-opted.

Objectives of the Northamptonshire Scheme

The Referral and Support System work very similarly to that of the other schemes within the South Central area. For a full constitution please contact the Northamptonshire LDC Secretary Jenny Herbert

Contacting Northamptonshire PASS Scheme

The Hampshire and Isle of Wight PASS Scheme for Dentists

The Current PASS Scheme in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight differs from those in Thames Valley and Northamptonshire in that it is currently Deanery and PCT led. It is planned to harmonise the existing scheme within the the South Central area in the near future

Contacting the Hampshire and Isle of Wight PASS Scheme