DAMAS registrations continue to increases across the UK, with the number of DAMAS registered laboratories reaching an all-time high of 420.

So what does this equate to nationally?

Size of DAMAS Laboratories:

For more information on DAMAS including how to become DAMAS registered contact the DLA office on 0115 9254888.

If you are already a registered DAMAS laboratory, you will know that as part of the system you need to conduct Internal Audits.

The frequency of the Internal Audits is up to you, they need to be conducted, as a minimum, annually, a little before your External Audit is due. Some laboratories choose to undertake Internal Audits quite frequently, and certainly for bigger laboratories, this can make it easier to keep on top of the system.

The purpose of the Internal Audit:

Conducting the Internal Audit gives the laboratory an accurate view and understanding of whether the DAMAS Compliance System is running effectively within the lab, and if it isn’t, why this is.

Once you have been through the Internal Audit process and recorded the findings on the internal audit format, the next thing to do is to undertake a Management Review.

The Purpose of the Management Review:

The Management Review is usually, conducted by more than one individual and follows on from the Internal Audit. The purpose is to assess the findings that arose during the Audit, and to see if any corrective action is required. If there are any issues uncovered, then a corrective action plan(s) can be formulated using this form.

The number of new labs becoming DAMAS registered continues to grow, It’s not surprising then that it is becoming the ever more popular and straightforward way for prescribers to choose which new laboratories to try out.

As ever we are travelling the length and breadth of the country to visit new and existing clients from Inverness to Cornwall, and East Yorkshire to Belfast. The number of Welsh labs alone has doubled in a little over a year!

Looking ahead we can see more and more new laboratories coming onboard, with both bookings for initial audits and DAMAS in a day Consultancy visits on the rise.

For more information about DAMAS call us on 0115 925 4888, or email us at info@damas.co.uk.

Storing Records

As you will know, it is a requirement that laboratories retain and store their prescriptions (and many other records) for a minimum of five years.  As technology moves on and with storage space becoming more limited for some labs, new methods for storing this data effectively are becoming more common. Dentists are choosing to store and communicate more of their records electronically, with the scanning of models and more recently online prescribing methods becoming more popular.

Some laboratories are beginning to look to similar space saving ideas, one method for labs to save on storage space and reduce the risk of their records deteriorating over time, is to scan in and save their prescriptions, this enables earlier appropriate disposal of these records, thus freeing up more space in-house!

Two important things to remember for anyone thinking of going down this route is firstly to ensure the scanned in documents are clearly readable, and secondly to ensure they are adequately backed up, to avoid any losses if there are any unexpected problems such as electricity cuts, computer viruses etc.

MHRA Registration – Ensuring you are up to date!

We find as we visit laboratories around the country, that sometimes their details need updating with the MHRA.

Have you moved address?

Have you changed your trading name?

If the answer is yes then you need to inform the MHRA – www.mhra.gov.uk

It is also advisable that you check that you are listed on the MHRA register as many laboratories details have been archived following the 2008 live publishing of the register.

The MHRA now has now introduced an easier access search option on their website, making it quicker and easier for you to not only check your own status and details, but also those of other laboratories. Now rather than searching alphabetically there is also the option to type in the name or MHRA number (if known) of the company you want to check, simply by clicking on the new ‘Search Registration’ tab at the top, right hand side of the page:

http://aic.mhra.gov.uk/era/pdr.nsf/name?openpage&start=1&count=200

Registration with the Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is a legal requirement as all dental laboratories are required to comply with the Medical Devices Directive and Medical Devices Regulations.

Registrations hit an all-time high with 415 dental laboratories now being DAMAS registered. This rise shows a 40% increase over the past two years alone.

DAMAS Registrations in Wales and Ireland have doubled over this two-year period, as the popularity of DAMAS continues to increase countrywide.

So what does this equate to nationally?