Safety and Quality Specialist

Company Description
PortmanDentex is a leading dental group where your skills and ambitions make a real difference. We support over 370 practices across the UK and Ireland. We're united by a passion for great dentistry , putting patients first and helping each other grow both at work and beyond.

Job Description
As a Safety and Quality Specialist , you will provide field-based support to our dental practices, helping ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and the consistent delivery of high-quality patient care. You will play a key role in promoting a culture of quality improvement, supporting practice teams and maintaining high standards across your designated geographical area.

Working closely with the Safety and Quality Manager, Practice Managers and operational teams, you will provide expert advice, training and support on dental compliance, patient safety and quality management. You will also lead and support audit programmes, monitor performance and help practices prepare for regulatory inspections.

This is a field-based role covering a geographically located group of practices, with significant travel required. You can expect to spend approximately three days a week visiting practices and two days working from home.

Key responsibilities include:

• Contribute to the development of quality policies, strategies and decision-making, working collaboratively with the Safety and Quality Manager.
• Support the implementation and effective use of compliance and quality management software across all practices, providing training and guidance as required.
• Promote a culture of continuous quality improvement, encouraging engagement and accountability across operational teams.
• Monitor quality and compliance performance, analyse data to identify trends and ensure appropriate action planning and risk management processes are in place.
• Support Practice Managers with regulatory compliance, providing specialist advice, training and practical guidance.
• Support the management of patient complaints and ensure practices have access to appropriate advice and support.
• Ensure effective incident management, patient feedback processes and internal operational audits are in place.
• Lead and coordinate internal compliance audits across practices, including site visits, interviews, evidence collection and data analysis.
• Conduct assurance audits against relevant regulatory standards, including Care Quality Commission (CQC) requirements and other applicable regulatory frameworks.
• Support practices in preparing for regulatory inspections and internal audits, ensuring appropriate planning and evidence is available.
• Provide specialist advice on patient safety and compliance, including infection prevention and control, decontamination, radiation protection, sedation, safeguarding, Freedom to Speak Up and General Dental Council (GDC) standards.
• Support the implementation of health and safety requirements, including risk assessments, COSHH and radiation safety.
• Establish and maintain effective operational audit programmes in partnership with Practice Managers.
• Ensure accurate and timely collation of quality-related data and information to support audits, reporting and internal and external requests.
• Encourage openness and participation in audit activities, using audit findings to drive improvements in quality, compliance and performance.

Qualifications
We welcome your application to our Safety and Quality Specialist vacancy if you have the following qualifications and skills:
Essential:

• Experience of compliance within the dental sector.
• Understanding of quality and compliance requirements, including infection prevention and control, decontamination and radiation safety.
• Excellent communication, presentation, mediation and negotiation skills, with the ability to engage effectively at all levels of an organisation.
• Strong organisational and prioritisation skills, with the ability to manage competing tasks and deadlines.
• Excellent attention to detail.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to produce clear, concise reports and communications.
• Ability to interpret complex information and translate it into practical advice and actions.
• A proactive, can-do attitude and the ability to work effectively under pressure.
• Access to your own vehicle, a valid UK driving licence and willingness to travel across a designated geographical area.

Desirable:

• Experience working in a multi-site environment.
• GDC registration.
• A relevant Health and Safety qualification.
• An audit qualification.

Additional Information
In addition to a competitive basic salary, our benefits also include:

• Wellbeing Support: 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme and GP service, plus an in-house Mental Health First Aider programme.
• Additional Reward: Bonus scheme based on business performance.
• Extra Leave: Birthday off and the option to buy three additional days.
• Family Support: Enhanced maternity and paternity leave.
• Financial Security: Life assurance and pension scheme.

Application process
When you apply, we'll need your CV and contact details, along with the answer to four quick questions, and your application will be complete! You'll get a response as quickly as we can, whatever the outcome of your application.

Ready to join us? Apply via the company portal to take the next step in your career.

IND003

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity, equity and inclusion in our workplace. We are committed to creating an environment of mutual respect and are dedicated to providing equal employment opportunities regardless of race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, pregnancy or maternity, marital or civil partner status, disability, age, or nationality.