Prison Service Dentistry

Hi

Havent been here is ages couldnt remember my username & password. How i got round to working in the prison was due to one of our senior dental officers who used to work in this particular prison and his brother in law got the tender. To cut a long story short his nurse was on annual leave and was stuck so therefore he asked if my sdo knew anyone who would cover so i agreed.

i must say i found it very interesting i only did 2 half days 1st didnt hear anything for a while and got an out of the blue text for a full day.. Really enjoyed it. Ive never met as fussy men as i did that day talking about getting teeth beached and all amalgams removed and changed to composite when they got out..

Definitely a different experience and different challenge to community

Jillyhen

I work in our local cat c and YOI prison also, i mainly work on the yoi side, I love my job as I find it very intersting/challenging working with the inmates, like the other nurse said it is hard as you have no control of when the patients come for there appointments we have quite alot of late starts when we are supposed to start at 9:30 but our first patient arrives at 10:30 and we are still expected to see the full list of patients.
While I work here i am basicailly the nurse, receptionist admin so on, you have to find time in the day to do everything needed when there simply isnt enough time.
All i say is you need to be a very quick nurse to work in prison as when the patinets are there its just go go. But I absoluely love working there some of my collegues hate it but i love it. Hope this has helped if you want anymore information just let me know x

We don't have a vacuum autoclave anywhere in our service. (in non prison environment we leave instruments laying out covered and cooling waiting to be bagged) as we don't have vacuum autoclave we resterilise every 21 days which is in
HTM 01-05. Bags r stamped with date of processing, expiry date and autoclave tape that shows it has been sterilised.

In the prison it's very difficult to comply fully with HTM 01-05 as everything is in one room! Not ideal, but working within restrains of prison. We are having work done to Improve things for decontamination area, but we have to make the best of what we have been provided with.

Wow, that sounds intense. I was under the impression that under the new HTM 01-05 Doc that basic practice does not allow instruments to be left out before bagging/best practice is packed and cycled in a vacuum autoclave? Could be wrong though as it is early!

Hi, I work in a local male cat c prison. I work in the community and our pct won the contract to supply nhs dentistry there. We supply 3 days of dentistry there a week, of which there is 3 of us nurses security cleared that work there. I go once a week, every 2 weeks another nurse comes with me to help out. I do really enjoy it, but it's not for everyone. Can be very intense, and the prisoners can be very demanding! But it's fun! It is completely different to the community/high st. All instruments have to be counted 3 times a dayfor security reasons. Cannot autoclave instruments and leave them on the side to bag up later!! (risk of them being stolen and used as weapons!!? We get a 2 hour break in middle of day, 30 mins for lunch and rest is when we have to do all 21 day bagging, all autoclaving, stock ordering.
Also can not have prisoners coming down for a particular time. They all come down together, they have to be counted into the waiting room before we can see them, sometimes meaning we can't start until 9.20 ( 1st pt should be in at 9!) if the count is wrong in another area of prison, then there can be no movement at all of prisoners, which has resulted in an afternoon of doing nothing before!! It is enjoyable, but not something personally that I could dofull time. 1 day a week is plenty.

Hi,

How did you get to work those 2 days? Was it through your community? What were the patients like? intimidating or ok ?

Hi

I also work in Community even though i love it, it can be a bit tedious at times. I did 2 days in the local prison even tho it was the same aul stuff it seemed different.

Does any member work in The Prison Dental Serice? I have recently looked into this and think it could be a rather exciting challenge aswell as very good pay. Just wondering if it worth a try? Im currently in Community and finding it tedious...in need of excitement.... cannot go back to practice as the pay is just too low .. !!