Apprenticeship Spotlight – Jennifer McClelland

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With National Apprenticeship Week taking place from 6th to 12th February 2023, we caught up with Riverdale’s very own HR Apprentice, Jennifer McClelland, to find out more about what undertaking an apprenticeship means to her and why Riverdale Healthcare.

Why did you choose to do an HR apprenticeship?
I love learning new skills and broadening my knowledge. Apprenticeships are the perfect way to not only gain the knowledge but put it into practice and keep learning and building on your skills.
Taking an apprenticeship was also the perfect opportunity for a change, I didn’t want to feel stuck in a “job”, I wanted a career I could be proud of and progress in. I love the flexibility that comes with the apprenticeship, being able to work whilst learning at my pace.

Why Riverdale Healthcare?
I was really attracted to Riverdale Healthcare as it is a relatively young business, growing at a fast pace, which means I have the opportunity to grow alongside it and am excited by all the opportunities and input I can have. Riverdale’s values also stand out to me, and they really come through and can be felt throughout the business. I feel very lucky to have found a business who cares about their employees. I have had so much support across the group already and have felt very welcomed by every member of staff I have met.

What do I love about it most?
I have loved feeling valued amongst the team, even whilst still being new and learning, I feel like my opinion is valued and respected. I have loved meeting and talking to colleagues in the group, building connections with them, especially my closer team who have supported me so much already. I always come away feeling accomplished with my day and that my efforts have been appreciated within my team.

What would you say to others thinking about doing an apprenticeship with us?
What have you got to lose! It has been my best career decision in the last 10 years, and most importantly I love coming into work and actually look forward to Monday!

Here at Riverdale Healthcare, we are proud of the apprenticeship opportunities we provide. We help individuals to develop the skills and knowledge required for a rewarding career, both clinically or in our many support functions, whilst developing a talented workforce that is equipped with skills for the future.

Keep an eye on our vacancies page for the latest apprenticeship opportunities as they arise.

Riverdale supports team members on the back of rising costs

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At Riverdale, we regularly refer to our company values as they underpin everything that we do. But we are always mindful that we demonstrate these values, and that they don’t become just words.

Our ‘we care about people’ value is not only about the patients we treat, but the people that treat them too. We understand that the current cost challenges are causing real concern among households – even placing fuel in the car to get to work can be difficult for some.

That is why Riverdale are pleased to announce that we will be paying all our team members a one-off winter ‘cost of living’ support payment of an extra £100 per month for the next six months! A little bit extra to help with where our team members may need it the most.

Speaking of the gesture, CEO Emma Barnes said, “As a business we are fully aware of the difficulties that many people are facing when it comes to the current cost of living, therefore it means a lot that we can support our team members and recognise their hard work at the same time through these additional payments.”

The support payment forms one of several initiatives that are in place within Riverdale, including the Employee Assistance Programme; provided in partnership with Health Assured. The free service provides 24/7 access to completely confidential free advice on a range of issues from stress & anxiety to financial wellbeing, and is there to support all team members, especially during the current difficult times.

Gender Pay Gap Report FY 2021

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INTRODUCTION

Riverdale Healthcare is a group of independent dental practices located in the North of England and Cambridge. Following the establishment of the Group in December 2018, we have grown rapidly acquiring 35 practices and a dental laboratory to date, with on-going acquisition planned. As a group we are now focusing on developing our people processes and policies as well as embedding our values. This activity has included the introduction of a pay structure for our practices, which has rewarded our employees and has addressed pay inequalities in our acquired practices. The benefit of this will be visible in our 2022 report.

 

OUR VALUES

We Care About People

‘We are kind to each other. We build relationships and support each other’s development to fulfil our aspirations and be happy and engaged.’
‘We have fun together, with a ‘can -do’ attitude, delivering outstanding care to the people in our communities to live life with confident and happy smiles.’

 

We Practice with Integrity

‘We provide high quality ethical dental care. We believe in giving choice to both our patients and our clinicians.’
‘We are open and honest and always act with integrity. We commit to always do the right thing, for our people, patients, communities and the environment.’

 

We Like Different

‘We embrace individuality. We are diverse and inclusive and want the unique character of our practices to shine through, just like an extended family.’
‘We listen to each other, giving everyone a voice. We respect each other’s opinions, learn from each other, creating an environment for our teams to flourish.’

 

 

WHAT IS GENDER PAY GAP?

The gender pay gap is the difference between the average (mean or median) earnings of men and women across a workforce. Since 2017, employers with a headcount of 250 or more must comply with regulations on gender pay gap reporting. This requires employers to annually report and publish specific data about their gender pay gap from the defined snapshot date which is the 5th of April.

 

2021 GENDER PAY GAP DATA

Mean Gender Pay Gap Median Gender Pay Gap
59.53% 55.90%
On average for every £1 a man earns a women will earn 40p

 

 When using the median for every £1 a man earns a women will earn 44p

 

Mean Gender Pay Gap – Bonus Pay Median Gender Pay Gap – Bonus Pay
–21.21% 0.00%
On average for every £1 a man receives in bonus pay a women will earn £1.21 When using the median men and women are paid the same bonus pay

 

Percentage of men and women receiving bonus pay
Men 32.1% Women 16.5%

 

 PROPORTION OF WOMEN IN EACH PAY QUARTILE

Upper Quartile Upper Middle Quartile Lower Middle Quartile Lower Quartile
Male        24%

Female   76%

 Male          3%

Female     97%

 Male          1%

Female     99%

 Male           0%

Female     100%

 

WHY A GENDER PAY GAP EXISITS AT RIVERDALE

Most of our practice employees are women where we do not have a gender pay gap. We also operate an Apprentice programme in our practices who begin their careers on a lower rate of pay with an increase upon qualifying.

Our support and operational roles across Riverdale typically attract a higher rate of pay. Riverdale supports career progression for our practice employees into support and operational roles.

 

OUR COMMITMENT TO IMPROVE OUR GENDER PAY GAP

Women are well represented at senior management level. We have a female Chief Executive Officer, and all of our operational team are female. Our next report will also show additional females that have joined the executive level and senior central support roles.

Since the 2021 snapshot date we have increased Nurse pay (which are predominantly women) at a higher % compared to our support and operational teams reducing the gender pay gap.

We will continue to encourage career progression via internal applications for operational and central support roles.

Genuinely proud to be part of the team

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Chris Aylward explains what sets Riverdale Healthcare apart from other dental groups.

Every group will say they are different to the rest: that they aren’t a typical corporate, that they offer clinical freedom, that they are nicer people to work for. 

And why wouldn’t they? I say exactly the same thing! Each group is focused on growth. To do that, they need to convince you that they are the best option for you.  

So, let’s break this down and talk about Riverdale Healthcare. 

We are not a corporate

The word corporate has a bad press in the dental industry. It’s a negative term that implies a focus on process, protocol and standardisation. Rather than the people and what they can do for the business. For many companies this is inevitable. Once growth becomes significant, having more uniform, aligned groups of practices is much easier to manage. 

At Riverdale Healthcare, we are very clear that we are a group of individual dental practices. Each practice is different, much like extended families; each have their own successes and challenges, each with its own character. 

Our support team recognise the importance of our colleagues in practice, the dedicated professionals who are making it possible for the people in our communities to live life with confident, healthy smiles. The support team focus on how they can make life easier in the practice so the teams can focus on delivering exceptional patient care by tailoring systems to meet the needs of the practice.

We offer clinical freedom

We seek to provide high quality, ethical dental care. Key to this is providing choice to both our patients and clinicians. We believe clinical freedom is not only enabling personal laboratory and material choice but through communication. 

Working together as multi-disciplinary teams, supporting each other, developing skills, mentoring colleagues, cultivating an environment which encourages personal and professional growth. 

Clinical freedom at Riverdale Healthcare is core to our purpose of fostering a happy, ‘can-do’ team that goes above and beyond for each other and our patients.  

We are nice people

I am genuinely proud to be part of Riverdale Healthcare. Everyone who is part of the team has the same passion and commitment for becoming the best independent group we can be. Always with the best interests of our colleagues and patients at the heart of everything we do. 

We work together, in collaboration, to find better ways of doing things. 

Dentistry is a fulfilling and valuable career. It plays a crucial role in a healthy community. 

We understand that without a happy team, we will lose people, waste talent, and underperform. Without gaining our team’s trust, acting responsibly, ethically and caring for our people, we will fail in our mission to serve our patients.

Our teams have fun delivering outstanding care to the people in our community. We want them to enjoy their work and the relationships they build every day. We want them to fulfil their personal aspirations, be developed, rewarded and achieve a genuine work-life balance. 

They’re proud to work in a team that goes above and beyond for each other and our patients, that is respected in the community because of the contribution it makes, and the responsibility it takes to protect the environment and care for its people. 

The decision to sell your practice is probably one of the biggest steps that you will take. Certainly in your professional life. 

You should take it over a period of time once you have gathered all of the information that you need to make that decision. Your head and your heart must agree and then you can feel confident to progress. 

At Riverdale Healthcare, we fully understand this huge step that you are taking. We have the knowledge, expertise and experience gained over many years to help and support you through this. So that the end result is great for both of us.

 

Image and article as featured in Dentistry Magazine

 

Update 26th March 2020

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The safety of our patients and our teams is of paramount importance to us.
In the interests of all, we are following the advice from the Chief Dental Officer and stopping any face to face consultations or treatment. This means that any appointments already booked in the next three weeks are cancelled and we will contact you to re-arrange.

Although we have had to close our doors, Riverdale Healthcare will continue to give telephone advice when you need us. Please just telephone your practice in the normal way for details of this service.

Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save lives.

Coronavirus Impact update

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25/3/2020

We will now see EMERGENCY PATIENTS ONLY

PLEASE DO NOT ATTEND THE PRACTICE IF YOU HAVE SYMPTOMS OF COVID-19. If you do you will be asked to leave immediately.

Further to the Prime Minister’s statement on Monday evening, the definition of a dental emergency will need to be much more restrictive. It would be unsafe to provide certain treatments unless we are given access to the appropriate equipment.

Postponing routine appointments
All routine appointments have been suspended in keeping with the current policy from our Professional Body (the BDA) and to respect social distancing in line with Government Policy.  This is for the safety of both our patients and our colleagues.

If you have a routine appointment booked you can expect to hear from us again shortly to postpone your appointment to a later date.

Please don’t worry, you will not miss out on any dental care that you need in the longer term.

Once we are able to get back to our normal operation we will be extending our opening hours to catch-up on postponed appointments although your treatment needs may require reassessment with a new examination, depending on the delay in resuming limited or normal services.

Please do contact the practice by phone if:
1. You require emergency treatment
2. You need advice or reassurance
3. You need a treatment completing such as a crown or denture fit – your original appointment will be cancelled – there may be circumstances where this treatment is provided IF we consider it would prevent a problem or the denture is essential for function.
4. Separate arrangements are being made on a case by case basis for Orthodontic patients and you will be contacted directly by the practice.

In hours emergencies
Please rest assured that whilst we are operating on reduced staffing levels, we are still available to provide emergency dental care. If you experience a problem, please call the practice and we will aim to see you for treatment on the same day if appropriate.
The treatment we are able to provide is governed by regulatory guidance and may be more limited than usual.

Out of hours emergencies
If you have a dental emergency and are unable to wait until our practice is open, please call NHS 111. This service is overstretched so please do so on an extreme emergency basis only.

Thank you for your patience and understanding. Please remember to check our website and social media pages for further updates.

Do stay safe and my very best wishes to you and your family in these difficult times.

Ian A Gordon BDS MFGDP
Managing Director Alpha Vitality Group
Riverdale Healthcare

Important Information

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Dear Patient

Covid 19 is affecting all our lives in a way we could not have contemplated even 2 weeks ago. I have delayed writing to you in relation to any change in arrangements at the Practice simply because things are changing daily and at times hourly.

As of today, Sunday 22 March ALL practices in the Riverdale Healthcare Group, including Alpha and  Vitality practices, Archway, Eston, Framwellgate, Pelaw and Hebburn are moving to see patients for Emergency treatment only.

PLEASE DO NOT ATTEND THE PRACTICE IF YOU HAD OR HAVE SYMPTOMS OF COVID 19. If you do, you will be asked to leave immediately

NHS Commissioners, our regulator and the Chief Dental Officer still only advise a reduction in the number of patients we see and to not provide certain treatments. However our Professional body, the British Dental Association (BDA) backs the position we are adopting.

​I hope you can understand our decision as we support social distancing for our teams and our patients.

All appointments are now cancelled until further notice.

Please contact the practice if:-
1) You require emergency treatment
2) You need advice or reassurance
3) You need a treatment completing that is vital for function, such as a denture fit – your original appointment will be cancelled but we will try to accommodate completing your treatment by arrangement.
4) Separate arrangements are being made on a case by case basis for Orthodontic and Implant patients and you will be contacted directly by the practice.

Our senior dental team will be available to give telephone advice if your query cannot be managed by our reception team – you will be called back as soon as possible.

In the interests of safety, OUR DOOR WILL BE LOCKED – PLEASE RING THE PRACTICE FOR ADVICE OR AN APPOINTMENT

We are working to keep our team together and will do all we can continue your treatment when this situation is over.

In the meantime please follow Government advice on social distancing.

Do stay safe and my very best wishes to you and your family in these difficult times

Ian A Gordon BDS MFGDP
Managing Director Alpha Vitality Group
Riverdale Healthcare

COVID-19 and your dental care.

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To Our Patients and Their Families,

Riverdale Healthcare including Alpha Vitality Dental Group have our patients well being and their Health and Safety as a number one priority.
Often in times of uncertainty, there can be a wealth of misinformation spread, especially in today’s digital age. As a leading healthcare authority in our community, we wanted to reach out to all of our patients regarding the COVID-19 virus, and to let you know the steps we are taking to alleviate any potential concerns.

According to the latest reports from the Department of Health and other national healthcare providers, the current health risks are minimal for most age groups. We recommend all of our patients to wash their hands frequently, avoid close contact with people who are sick, and stay home if you aren’t feeling well.

If you have a fever or NEW persistent cough you SHOULD NOT attend the Practice.

We follow strict cleaning policies for the protection of both our staff and our patients.

Each staff member maintains rigorous personal hygiene standards and cross infection measures for every patient interaction.
We use hospital-grade disinfectants across the entire practice, with extensive room cleaning after each patient to ensure a safe and clean environment.

After each use, all dental instruments receive the highest level of medical sterilisation available. These processes have always been of utmost importance in our practice and will continue to be the standards we uphold for our patients.

Please rest assured that we are following local and national updates daily, and will continue to maintain the highest level of safety and patient care that you have come to expect. If you have any questions regarding your future appointments, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We will be posting additional updates through Facebook @Alpha.Smiles) to keep our community and patients abreast of the latest updates regarding the current health situation.

Again, thank you for being a valued patient, we appreciate your continued trust and confidence. Together we can overcome these challenging circumstances and we look forward to taking care of you at your next scheduled appointment.

Sincerely,

Dr Ian A Gordon BDS, MFGDP

Managing Director
Alpha Vitality Dental Group
Riverdale Healthcare

Cyber Security is Top Priority for Dental Group

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Riverdale Healthcare has instructed IASME to support the delivery of the Government’s Cyber Essentials scheme in their group of dental practices.

The Cyber Essentials Scheme aims to help organisations implement basic levels of protection against cyber attack, demonstrating to their customers that they take cyber security seriously and which focuses on the five most important technical security controls. These controls were identified by the Government as those that, if they had been in place, would have stopped the majority of the successful cyber attacks over the last few years.

The five basic controls within Cyber Essentials were chosen because, when properly implemented, they will help to protect against unskilled internet-based attackers using commodity capabilities – which are freely available on the internet.

Ben Wild, Operations Director said, “IASME have been incredibly supportive in helping us to achieve our Cyber Essentials verification. We want to ensure we are doing everything possible to protect our teams and our patients against malicious attacks.”

Organisations that undertake Cyber Essentials are encouraged to recertify at least once a year and, where appropriate, progress their security.