FHDC’s Practice Manager, Gemma Lapsley, gives an update on how she used used her time during Lockdown to build on her existing management qualifications…

“In March when FHDC was forced to close its doors to patients while we all helped in which ever way we could to ‘flatten the curve’ and help our NHS service deal with the start of the Covid 19 pandemic, I decided to keep myself busy by taking on the challenge to gain a further qualification to help our team and our patients for when I returned to work in what was going to be very different circumstances.

I like to keep busy, and with life now on hold, I needed to find something that could really keep me occupied. By week two I had exhausted my craft box and made my rainbow which was proudly displayed on my door. I now needed to get the cogs turning in my brain. I decided to complete a course which would support my existing qualifications; Level 7 Diploma in Leadership and Management.

I had 15 modules to complete before I returned to work. Each one comprising of reading material that needed to be studied before completing a mock exam online. Once I felt confident with each module I sat an exam for each one. I needed a 80% pass rate overall to gain the qualification. I am please to say I passed all modules with an overall 95% pass rate.

I have gained some valuable knowledge in many different areas, including; team building, stress management, time management and business development and planning. To add to the qualification, I completed an additional 16^th module on the use of Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Office to ensure on a return to work I could understand our new IT better and more effectively keep our electronic data.

Dentistry, Dental Nursing and Dental Management has changed dramatically since I started as a trainee dental nurse in 2004. No longer is a Dental Nurses role to stand at the side of a chair and pass instruments. We have to be registered with the General Dental Council and complete continuous training to ensure we move forward in our roles with the skills needed to deal with change and to ensure we can continue to provide the best quality service we can to you as our patients.

So…heres to the next challenge!”