General Dental Services Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1993

Records

25.—(1) A dentist shall keep a record in respect of—

(a) the care and treatment given to each patient under a continuing care arrangement or a capitation arrangement and the fact of referral under such an arrangement under paragraph 12;

(b) treatment on referral; or

(c) occasional treatment,

in the patient record and shall include with that record details of any private care and treatment (to the extent that it is provided with care and treatment under general dental services for the purpose of securing and maintaining oral health), any practice record form and all radio graphs, photographs and study models (being models in respect of orthodontic treatment) taken or obtained by him as part of the care and treatment under a continuing care arrangement or a capitation arrangement or treatment on referral or occasional treatment.

(2) The records, radiographs, photographs and study models referred to in sub-paragraph (1) shall be retained for a period of 2 years after completion of any course of care and treatment under a continuing care arrangement or a capitation arrangement or treatment on referral or occasional treatment to which they relate.

(3) The dentist shall, during the period in which he holds any records, radiographs, photographs and study models referred to in sub-paragraph (1), produce them to a referral dental officer or send them to the Committee or the Agency within 14 days of being required to do so by a referral dental officer, the Committee or the Agency.

(4) A dentist may keep the records (other than the practice record form) referred to in sub-paragraph (1) in computerised form.

(5) Nothing in sub-paragraph (1) shall be taken as removing any rights of property which the dentist may have in relation to the records, radiographs, photographs and study models referred to in that sub-paragraph.