Do we or don’t we need a CRB check? (England only)
That seems to be the burning question on the lips of every Dental Nurse at the moment! Well according to the CQC, yes we certainly do, however a lot of Dental Nurses have had their application forms returned, causing a lot of confusion.
The problem seems to be that Dental Nurses, as well as Dentists and Hygienists, have been sending their CRB application forms through the CQC when in fact they should be applying through an “umbrella body” such as a Primary Care Trust. The only people who should be applying through the CQC are Providers, Nominated Individuals and Registered Managers.
Unfortunately, this information was not originally made clear, so many applications ended up getting returned and although cheques for the CRB check were also returned, the fee for the checking of the application form was not.
It is common knowledge that the CQC are giving out different answers to different people who are contacting them, unsure what it is they need to do.
So what are we supposed to do?
The guidelines for Dental Nurses at the moment seem to be:
- DO get your CRB check, it is necessary for you to have one
- Apply through an umbrella body, NOT the CQC- You can apply through a Dental Recruitment Agency
- You will need the enhanced CRB check
If for some reason your application form is returned, then you can order a new form and take it along to the post office again with your original receipts and you should not be charged for the latest application form.