Safeguarding – Where Are We Now?

It is now well over 20 years since the tragic and well publicised murder of  Victoria Climbié took place. This lecture will look at how, all these years on warning signs are still being ignored because all those involved in the care of children and adults at risk still fail to ‘join the dots’.  It will look at the impact of COVID-19 and what dental practices can do to ensure  they play their part in recognising potential or actual abuse, responding appropriately, referring when required and what they should record to ensure their records support the victim should this be required.

Learning objectives

To understand:

• Safeguarding responsibilities
• How to recognise the signs and symptoms that dental professionals may see or notice
• How the dental team should respond to suspected or actual cases of abuse
• When and how to refer
• How to make records relating to a safeguarding concern
• What to do in different potential safeguarding scenarios

This talk satisfies the GDC’s learning outcomes:

A – Effective communication with patients, the dental team, and others across dentistry, including when obtaining consent, dealing with complaints, and raising concerns when patients are at risk

B – Effective management of self, and effective management of others or effective work with others in the dental team, in the interests of patients at all times; providing constructive leadership where appropriate

D – Maintenance of skills, behaviours and attitudes which maintain patient confidence in you and the dental profession and put patients’ interests first

Dr Patricia Langley BDS