Staff Confidentiality Policy

This policy outlines our expectations for staff confidentiality at The Dental Practice. We are committed to creating a safe and secure environment where all information relating to the Practice, our patients, and our staff is kept confidential. We respect privacy rights and are committed to complying with the Data Protection Act 2018 and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in all our dealings with your personal information.

Our Commitment:

• All employees, contractors and volunteers are required to sign a confidentiality agreement as part of their contract with the Practice.
• Information about the Practice, our patients, or our staff, whether verbal, written, or electronic, must not be discussed or shared outside the Practice without explicit permission.
• Inside the Practice, information should only be discussed in order to perform job functions. Conversations should not take place where they can be overheard by those not involved in the patient's care.
• Breaches of this policy may lead to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment. Serious breaches may also be subject to legal proceedings.

Responsibility:

• All staff members have a responsibility to maintain confidentiality and ensure that information is not disclosed, whether inside or outside the Practice, unless required by law or agreed upon by the relevant parties.
• Staff members must report any breaches of this policy to their supervisor or the Practice manager as soon as possible.
• Staff members must comply with all data protection training provided by the Practice.

Data Security:

• The Dental Practice employs strong data security measures including encryption, firewall and antivirus software, and regular audits. We ensure that all staff members understand and comply with these procedures.
• Electronic patient data is stored in a secure, password-protected system that complies with GDPR requirements. Access to this system is limited to those who need it to perform their job function.
• Physical patient records are stored in a locked, secure location. Access is limited to those who need it to perform their job function.

Review:

This policy will be reviewed annually and updated as required to comply with changes in legislation, best practice, or in response to any identified breaches in confidentiality.

Approval:

This Staff Confidentiality Policy has been approved and endorsed by senior management at The Dental Practice.

Date:

Policy implemented on: [Insert Date]

Next Review due: [Insert Date (One year from implementation)]