Warrington Dental Care

Updated 1 August 2016

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. The inspection was planned to check whether the registered provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008

The inspection was led by a CQC inspector who was assisted by a specialist advisor.

Prior to the inspection we asked the practice to send us some information which we reviewed. This included details of complaints they had received in the last 12 months, their latest statement of purpose, and details of their staff members including their qualifications and proof of registration with their professional body. We also reviewed information we held about the practice.

The methods that were used to collect information at the inspection included interviewing staff, observations and reviewing documents.

During the inspection we spoke to a dentist, dental nurses, a receptionist, and the practice manager. We reviewed policies, procedures, and other records relating to the management of the service. We reviewed CQC comment cards which we had sent prior to the inspection for patients to complete about the services provided at the practice.

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 therefore formed the framework for the areas we looked at during the inspection.

Updated 1 August 2016

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 1 June 2016 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

CQC inspected the practice on 16 March 2012 and asked the provider to make improvements regarding safeguarding procedures, safeguarding training and Criminal Records Bureau, (now Disclosure and Barring Service), checks for staff. We checked these areas as part of this comprehensive inspection and found these improvements had been made.

The practice offers general dental care to patients of all ages on a private basis and to children on an NHS basis. The practice is open Monday 8.00am to 5.00pm, Tuesday and Thursday 9.00am to 5.00pm, Wednesday 9.00am to 5.45pm and Friday 08.00am to 4.30pm.

The practice is staffed by a principal dentist, three associate dentists, five dental nurses and a practice manager who is also a dental nurse.

The principal dentist is registered with the Care Quality Commission 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.

We received feedback from 26 people on CQC comment cards during the inspection about the services provided. Patients commented that they found the practice excellent and that staff were friendly, kind and caring. They said that they were always given good and helpful explanations about dental treatment and that the dentists listened to them. Patients commented that the practice was clean and comfortable.

Our key findings were:

• There was appropriate equipment for staff to undertake their duties, and equipment was well maintained.
• There was an effective complaints system.
• Staff had received safeguarding training, knew how to recognise signs of abuse and how to report it.
• There were sufficient numbers of suitably qualified staff to meet the needs of patients.
• Staff had been trained to manage medical emergencies, and emergency medicines and equipment were available.
• Infection control procedures were in accordance with the published guidelines.
• Patient care and treatment was planned and delivered in line with evidence based guidelines and current regulations.
• Patients received clear explanations about their proposed treatment, costs, benefits and risks and were involved in making decisions about it.
• Patients were treated with dignity and respect and confidentiality was maintained.
• Patients could access routine treatment and urgent care when required.
• The practice was well-led, staff felt involved and supported and worked well as a team.
• The governance systems were effective.

There were areas where the provider could make improvements and should:

• Review the systems and processes in place to comply with Regulations 4 to 20 of the HSCA 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, specifically in relation to seeking and acting on feedback from service users on the services provided, to allow continual evaluation and improvement of the service.