The Dentist Dorridge

We carried out this announced comprehensive inspection on 20 July 2023 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 practice was meeting the legal requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated regulations.

The inspection was led by a Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspector who was supported by a specialist dental advisor.

To get to the heart of patients’ experiences of care and treatment, we always ask the following 5 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:

• The dental clinic appeared clean and well-maintained.
• The practice had infection control policies which reflected published guidance. However, staff did not always follow these.
• Staff knew how to deal with medical emergencies. Not all appropriate life-saving equipment was available. The provider ordered the missing items following the inspection.
• The practice did not have all the necessary systems to manage risks for patients, staff, equipment and the premises.
• Safeguarding processes were in place and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children. However, not all staff were up to date with safeguarding training.
• The practice had staff recruitment procedures which reflected current legislation.
• Clinical staff provided patients’ care and treatment in line with current guidelines.
• Patients were treated with dignity and respect. Staff took care to protect patients’ privacy and personal information.
• Staff provided preventive care and supported patients to ensure better oral health.
• The appointment system worked efficiently to respond to patients’ needs.
• The frequency of appointments was agreed between the dentist and the patient, giving due regard to National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines.
• Effective leadership and a culture of continuous improvement were not in place.
• Staff felt involved, supported and worked as a team.
• Staff and patients were asked for feedback about the services provided.
• Complaints were dealt with positively and efficiently.
• The practice had information governance arrangements.

Background

The Dentist Dorridge is in Dorridge, Solihull and provides private dental care and treatment for adults and children.

There is step free access to the practice for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. Car parking spaces, including dedicated parking people with disabilities, are available near the practice. The practice has made reasonable adjustments to support patients with access requirements.

The dental team includes 2 dentists, 2 dental nurses, 1 dental hygienist, 1 practice manager and 1 receptionist. The practice has 2 treatment rooms.

During the inspection we spoke with 1 dentist, 2 dental nurses, and 1 receptionist. We looked at practice policies, procedures and other records to assess how the service is managed.

The practice is open:

Monday from 8.30am to 5.30pm.

Tuesday from 8.30am to 5pm.

Wednesday from 8.30am to 4.30pm.

Thursday from 8.30am to 5.30pm.

Saturday from 9am to 1pm.

We identified regulations the provider was not complying with. They must:

• Establish effective systems and processes to ensure good governance in accordance with the fundamental standards of care.

Full details of the regulation the provider was not meeting are at the end of this report.

There were areas where the provider could make improvements. They should:

• Implement a system to ensure patient referrals to other dental or health care professionals are centrally monitored to ensure they are received in a timely manner and not lost.