Mentoring and you

This research-based case study explores and illustrates the benefits of mentoring and the place of clinical governance in enhancing dental practice.

The importance of ensuring safety, quality and governance in health and social care continues to be highly topical, given the media and public outcry following numerous scandals highlighting neglectful and harmful care. For example, the public and independent inquiries into the Mid Staffordshire National Health Service Foundation Trust and The Winterbourne Care Home. Some questions arising from such scandals are as follows: How is it possible that such situations are continually occurring, when clinical governance was introduced into the NHS in 1997 with the sole purpose of keeping patients safe by improving quality of care, services and standards by reducing risks? (McSherry et al, 2013, McSherry and Pearce 2011). Mentors are deemed to be highly experienced custodians and advocates of safe, quality and compassionate care providing effective role modelling, guidance, supervision and support to less experienced and aspiring practitioners. Is there a relationship between the role of the mentor and clinical governance within practice?