Child not Brought Policy (Dental DNA)

Children and Young People aged 0-15 years

The GIRFEC values and principles must be at the forefront of all interactions regarding the wellbeing of a child. While this CNB policy is designed as guidance for administration staff, it must be remembered that it is the whole dental team’s responsibility to work together in the best interests of each child. The R4 Marker system must be used for all children and young people registered within PDS in addition to text messaging, which indicates who needs a phone call reminder on the day or day before the appointment. All communication must be documented in Comms (Communications tab in R4).

Marker 2+1: All children and young people with a history of vulnerability and or poor dental attendance who should receive a call on day before or day of appointment. Any barriers to access should be noted and a referral made to Childsmile Practice if additional support needed to ensure future attendance.

Marker 2: All other children and young people.

0-5 year olds and primary school age children

If Child is not brought for 1st exam appointment a member of the admin team will attempt to make contact with parent/guardian by phone during the working day. If no contact is made with this first call, a first CNB letter will be sent out, if no response to first CNB letter, a second CNB letter will be sent 2 weeks later and the child referred to Childsmile.

On the day of the first missed appointment for treatment a member of the admin team will attempt to make contact with parent/guardian by phone during the working day. If no contact is made with this first call, a first CNB letter will be sent out, if no response to first CNB letter, a second CNB letter will be sent 2 weeks later indicating that all future appointments will be cancelled and where appropriate a referral made to Childsmile via the generic e-mail box.

If a child does not attend for 2 appointments, whether consecutive or not, or if there is a pattern of non attendance, a Childsmile referral should be completed by admin and sent to the Childsmile generic e-mail inbox, cc to the clinician responsible.

Childsmile will respond to any referral within approx 1 month by noting all contact made in R4 Patient Comms, HIC, and EMIS. If no contact has been possible an email will be sent from the OHSW to the clinician (cc admin notifying them this has been done). This ensures that any concerns regarding the patient’s treatment needs will be reported to the Children and Families Social Work duty team by the clinician if deemed necessary.

Any Child referred to PDS from Childsmile who is not brought to appointments should be referred back to Childsmile

Secondary school children and young people 0-15 years of age should receive any correspondence addressed to parent or guardian.

If a young person is not brought/fails to attend for 1st exam appointment a member of the admin team will attempt to make contact by phone with the young person or parent/guardian. If no contact is made with this first call, a first CNB letter will be sent out. If no response to first CNB letter a second CNB letter will be sent 2 weeks later and the young person will be put on a 6 month recall and a referral made to Childsmile. On the day of the first missed appointment for an exam or treatment a member of the admin team will attempt to make contact with the young person or parent/guardian by phone. If no contact is made with this first call, a first CNB letter will be sent out 2 weeks later indicating that where appropriate a referral will be made to Childsmile and all future appointments will be cancelled.

If a young person does not attend for 2 appointments, whether consecutive or not, or if there is a pattern of non attendance, a referral should be completed and sent to Childsmile (cc to the clinician responsible).

Childsmile will respond to any referral within approx 1 month by noting all contact made in R4 Patient Comms, HIC and EMIS. If no contact has been possible an email will be sent to the clinician (cc to admin notifying them this has been done). This ensures that any concerns regarding the patient’s treatment needs will be reported to the Children and Families Social Work duty team by the clinician if deemed necessary.

All children and young people aged 0-15 years of age

If the clinic is unable to make contact by phone, details will be entered on the CNB spreadsheet, which will be reviewed monthly by admin team to ensure all appropriate action has been taken regarding the child’s attendance and that all documentary evidence is in the R4 notes, this will support and evidence all contact made by the PDS ensuring the child/young person does not fall through the safety net.

After 6 months and 12 months a letter will be sent inviting the young person or their parent/guardian to contact the clinic to make an appointment. If the young person or parent/guardian does not make contact, no further letter will be sent or contact made, though the child/young person will remain registered and able to access dental care until they are 18.

Practitioner Services will inform the Public Dental Service (through the dentist’s monthly schedule) if a child or young person becomes registered elsewhere, when picked up this must be noted on R4.

All dental team members must log every attempt to contact patients on R4 Comms - this supports chronologies outlining support given, should there be a need for a child/young person concern meeting. If any child referred into the Public Dental service from a General Dental Practitioner does not attend their appointment they should be referred back to the referrer by a member of the admin team, any appeal on this action would be given consideration on a basis of individual need.