7 March 2017
During a routine inspection
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 7 March 2017 to ask the practice the following key questions; Are services safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led?
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
A1 Teeth is a dental practice providing mostly NHS dental treatment, with private treatment options for patients. The practice is located in premises in Canterbury Kent.
The practice has three treatment rooms, all of which are on the ground floor.
The practice provides dental services to both adults and children. The practice provides mostly NHS treatment (around 90%). Services provided include general dentistry, dental hygiene, crowns and bridges and root canal treatment. Patients also have the option of private treatment options such as implants and cosmetic dentistry.
The practice’s opening hours are – Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5.30pm.
Access for urgent treatment outside of opening hours is by telephoning the practice and following the instructions on the answerphone message or by telephoning the 111 NHS service.
The principal dentist/owner is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) as an individual. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons 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 practice has three dentists; two hygienists, four qualified and registered dental nurses who share reception duties.
Before the inspection we sent Care Quality Commission comment cards to the practice for patients to tell us about their experience of the practice. We collected 48 completed cards and looked at the recent NHS Friends and Family forms which were available at the practice. We collected the views of a further 3 patients after the day of our inspection.
Our key findings were:
• The practice was visibly clean and tidy but some clinical areas needed attention.
• Records showed there were sufficient numbers of suitably qualified staff to meet the needs of patients.
• Patients at the practice gave positive feedback about their experiences at the practice.
• Dentists identified the different treatment options, and discussed these with patients.
• Patients’ confidentiality was maintained.
• The practice was not following the relevant guidance from the Department of Health's: ‘Health Technical Memorandum 01-05 (HTM 01-05) for infection control with regard to cleaning and sterilizing dental instruments.
• The practice had the necessary equipment for staff to deal with medical emergencies, and staff had been trained how to use that equipment. This included an automated external defibrillator, oxygen and emergency medicines.
There were areas where the provider could make improvements and should:
- Review the practice’s infection control procedures and protocols giving due regard to guidelines issued by the Department of Health - Health Technical Memorandum 01-05: Decontamination in primary care dental practices and The Health and Social Care Act 2008: ‘Code of Practice about the prevention and control of infections and related guidance.