Updated 16 November 2018
We carried out this announced inspection on 30 October 2018 under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. We planned the inspection to check whether the registered provider was meeting the legal requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated regulations. The inspection was led by a CQC inspector who was supported by a specialist dental adviser.
To get to the heart of patients’ experiences of care and treatment, we always ask the following five questions:
• Is it safe?
• Is it effective?
• Is it caring?
• Is it responsive to people’s needs?
• Is it well-led?
These questions form the framework for the areas we look at during the inspection.
Our findings were:
Are services safe?
We found that this practice was providing safe care in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Are services effective?
We found that this practice was providing effective care in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Are services caring?
We found that this practice was providing caring services in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Are services responsive?
We found that this practice was providing responsive care in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Are services well-led?
We found that this practice was providing well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Background
Apex Dental is in Merrow and provides NHS for children and private treatment to adults.
There is level access for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. Car parking spaces, are provided at the rear of the building.
The dental team includes 5 dentists, 3 dental nurses, I trainee dental nurse, 1 dental hygienist, 3 receptionists and a registered manager. The practice has 3 treatment rooms.
The practice is owned by a partnership and as a condition of registration must have a person registered with the Care Quality Commission as the registered manager. Registered managers have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated regulations about how the practice is run. The registered manager at Apex dental practice was the practice manager.
On the day of inspection, we collected 26 CQC comment cards filled in by patients and spoke with 1 other patient.
During the inspection we spoke with 1 dentist, 1 dental nurses, 2 receptionists and the practice manager. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.
The practice is open: Monday 08.00-17.30. Tuesday 09.00-19.00. Wednesday 09.00-19.00. Thursday 08.00-18.00. Friday 08.00-18.00. Saturday 08.00-15.00. Sunday closed.
Our key findings were:
- The practice appeared clean and well maintained.
- The practice staff had infection control procedures which reflected published guidance.
- Staff knew how to deal with emergencies. Appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment were available.
- The practice had systems to help them manage risk.
- The practice staff had suitable safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding adults and children.
- The practice had thorough staff recruitment procedures.
- The clinical staff provided patients’ care and treatment in line with current guidelines.
- Staff treated patients with dignity and respect and took care to protect their privacy and personal information.
- The practice was providing preventive care and supporting patients to ensure better oral health.
- The appointment system met patients’ needs.
- The practice had effective leadership and culture of continuous improvement.
- Staff felt involved and supported and worked well as a team.
- The practice asked staff and patients for feedback about the services they provided.
- The practice staff dealt with complaints positively and efficiently.
- The practice staff had suitable information governance arrangements.
Full details of the regulation/s the provider was/is not meeting are at the end of this report.
There were areas where the provider could make improvements. They should:
- Review the current staffing arrangements to ensure all dental care professionals are adequately supported by a trained member of the dental team when treating patients in a dental setting considering the guidance issued by the General Dental Council.
- Review the practice's responsibilities to take into account the needs of patients with disabilities and to comply with the requirements of the Equality Act 2010.
- Review the practice’s protocols for ensuring that all clinical staff have been vaccinated and have adequate immunity for preventable infectious diseases.
- Review the practice’s protocols for the use of rubber dam for root canal treatment taking into account guidelines issued by the British Endodontic Society particularly a risk assessment when a rubber dam cannot be used.