A scheme to recruit Pakistani and Bangladeshi trainee dental nurses in a multiethnic area of Greater Manchester.
The primary dental care services in Oldham, Greater Manchester have established an innovative scheme to encourage diversity in primary dental care services. The scheme involves the recruitment of bilingual trainee dental nurses in order to improve accessibility and appropriateness of the services and to improve communication with Pakistani and Bangladeshi patients. The scheme has raised a number of issues for trainees, existing staff and management. However all groups evaluated the scheme as worthwhile. Achievements of the scheme include better communication, better understanding of different ethnic communities among the staff and increased confidence and employability of trainees. It is recommended that similar schemes be adopted for primary dental care and other health services in areas with significant ethnic minority populations.
Fuller
S S
SS
Department of Dental Public Health, Tameside General Hospital, Ashton under Lyne OL6 9RW, UK. sabrina.fuller@alwpct.nhs.uk
Bridgman
C M
CM
D001459:Bangladesh / Q000208:ethnology; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003142:Communication; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D003726:Dental Assistants / Q000193:education; D003729:Dental Care; D003812:Dentist-Patient Relations; D004651:Employment; D004739:England; D005006:Ethnicity; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008913:Minority Groups; D010154:Pakistan / Q000208:ethnology; D018802:Patient-Centered Care; D010560:Personnel Selection; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011320:Primary Health Care; D016730:Program Development