Chris Barrow’s Blog

We asked our clients how they tackled the holiday season – and this is what they told us:

·        We close for the 3 days and the staff takes these days as holiday out of their holiday allowance. If there is an emergency then Colin obviously opens the practice for this.

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·        Well I don’t know about anybody else but I clear off late December and return second week in January. I have always done the same thing for the last nearly 20yrs and it seems to work.

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·        I just have one dentist working doing emergencies and anyone who is desperate. It is quite a good time to do big cosmetic appointments as there is always enough time (unlike “normal” days) and we work much shorter days – until lunch time if we can. A skeleton staff (I work with just one who can do reception and nurse.) They work it out amongst themselves as to who works when, I do not mind who works when as long as I am adequately staffed. They are paid in full and they also get their Xmas bonus. Maybe I am too generous but it works for me and the time the staff have off is for all those extra hours they put in during the year.

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·        We stay open between Christmas and the New Year with one, possibly two dentists working. If the staff wants to take time off they have to take it out of their holiday.

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·        We are open for emergencies plus some normal work – various dentists are in – unofficial rota.

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·        We are available for dental emergencies 24 hours a day 365 days a year! for our patients

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·        Staff get Bank Holidays – otherwise it is normal working – they choose if they want to take off from their 20 days holiday

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·        We have a skeleton staff for emergency cover only, (1 Dentist, 1 Nurse and 1 Receptionist) per day, which are rotas. All staff know to save holiday days for Christmas, or use overtime in lieu, of take time off without pay. This has always worked well for us.

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·        It varies depending on what cover the rota provides. If the rotas are covering all the days it is holiday out of their annual leave. And then if we are on the rota our normal rota arrangement apply as per the girls’ contract.

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·        Occasionally we have to provide some cover and we will then work core hours and i will pay the girls for the whole day even if they are only working a few hours.

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·        In Aberschan Dental (www.aberdent.co.uk) we have a rota with two other local practices, and each open for 1 day first two hours routine treatment rest day for emergencies, for our own and the covering practices only. Average over past 5 years has been 7-10 emergencies, and approx 15-20 calls from other patients either unregistered or cannot get hold of their Dentist, with whom we sympathise, but don’t see.

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·        Staff volunteer for the day, get paid and a day of in lieu. Other staff get week off.

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·        We close and the staff take it as part of their holiday and any overtime I owe them

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·        We are open for emergencies only, but not all day. We set a few hours aside in the morning only. The staff who want to take the time off completely need to take holiday from their yearly entitlement.Â

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·        We open usually mornings only, book the first hour or two then emergencies until usually lunchtime.

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·        We usually work a short morning only with a skeleton staff and rotate the sessions so it is fair to all.

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·        We book a few patients in who desire the holiday period as they do not require to take time out of work ( therefore we provide a good service for them) and leave the last hour for emergencies who telephone that morning. As soon as the last emergency has been seen – we all clear off home irrespective of the time.

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·        Staff are fully paid BUT we do a rota 10–3 so HOPEFULLY everybody is happy [Probably no-one happy !] Â

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·        Chris, we have closed for the week – but I will go in for an emergency if needed.

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·        Michelle and Claire have a paid week on the understanding that one of them is always ‘on-call’.

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·        We cover toothaches only between Xmas and New Year – and any staff can have paid leave if they wish it.

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·        Chris, I work if patients want appointments (a surprising number do), otherwise I will come in from 10.30 to 3.30 for emergency cover (details on ans/phone).

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·        The practice shares cover days between those of us who are around.

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·        Associate will work 2 hrs per day emergencies and staff will rota so he has 1 nurse & 1 receptionist for those 2 hours. Will be classed as 1/2 days work and rest is normal Xmas hols.

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·        With 3 dentists at the practice we all tend to have different time-off requirements around Christmas.
The last few years I’ve had the week running up to Christmas off, because this seems to fit in best with preparations and family. Once the kids have their presents and the turkey’s cooked I’m surplus to requirements, so I work those 3 days, but tend to finish a little earlier than usual (we book mornings first and then depending on demand, go into the afternoon). The reception/nursing team members stay on until normal end of day, but often at minimum team numbers – a nurse, a receptionist (time off during this period is taken from the annual holiday allowance). My colleagues often have that “end of year” week off (or work, perhaps, a single day) or have the first week off in the New Year.
It seems to work reasonably well for team members too. Those with families mostly wanting pre-Christmas time, and the party animals wanting New Year.
Compared to the summer season, it seems to work very well!

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·        Stay open for emergencies 23rd and 27th (unless weekend), half day 24th, use the rest of the time to do admin. I and my associate take it in turns to have a week or two off around this time.

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·        We will be open for two mornings. The rest of the time I will give holiday pay, but we have in their contracts that it is to be included as part of their annual holiday entitlement.

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·        We open for 2 hours daily, 11.00-13.00, one nurse and one dentist, emergencies only, and as everyone does a little, the rest of the period is additional paid holidays.

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·        Close the shop from December 23 to January 2. Make it part of the staff contract. Forget about dentistry for two whole weeks. Get emergency cover!

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·        We work reduced hours (normally 10-4 instead of 8-6). Used to pay same as normal hours but recently changed (at staff members’ request) method of counting staff-holiday from “days” or “sessions” to “hours” . If we agree to work reduced hours now, they will be paid reduced hours. We have also taken as paid holiday (but compulsory, i.e. part of they annual leave) Christmas and New Year’s Eve. This has been a popular move for all concerned.

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·        All practices cover own emergencies on 28^th and 29^th ( emergency service only covers from 5pm those days)

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·        If staff have holiday left then they can take it – if not some take hols from 2006 allocation

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·        We close but have to save our holiday days for it.

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·        We are a 3 partner expense sharing practice, the 3 days that fall between Xmas & New Year we only see emergencies. We ask team members to work one of these sessions (which generally is am only) and we then give then the other two days as extra holiday with pay.  Should a team member decide to not work they then take annual leave over these 3 days?

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·        We have 4 dentists in the practice and they all work 1 day to see emergencies in between Christmas and New Year – some times we open for 2 days and have normal surgery – depends on how busy we have been!

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·        Their nurse has to work with them for the day or days they work

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·        Staff can take this as paid leave (if they have any left) but normally it is unpaid as most of them have used up their holiday!

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