We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 20 January 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 not 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
Cambridge Dental Hub is a new practice situated in central Cambridge. It offers a range of services including general dentistry, orthodontics, implants and cosmetic surgery to privately paying patients. The practice employs eleven part-time dentists, one orthodontist and one dental hygienist. They are supported by three dental nurses and a practice manager. The practice opens from 7.30 am to 7.30 pm Monday to Friday; from 7.30 to 5pm on a Saturday; and from 9 am to 5.30 pm on a Sunday. It also opens on Bank Holidays.
There was no registered manager at the practice at the time of our inspection. However the practice manager was in the process of applying to become registered with us, and had submitted her application. A registered manager is a person who is registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. 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 a patient waiting area, four treatment rooms, a decontamination room for cleaning, sterilising and packing dental instruments, and a small staff area for making drinks.
We spoke with three patients during our inspection and also received 33 comments cards that had been completed by patients prior to our inspection. We received many positive comments about the practice’s modern facilities, its extensive opening hours and the staff’s skills. Patients were happy with the quality and effectiveness of their treatment.
Our key findings were:
- The practice offered extensive opening hours both during the week, at weekends, and on Bank Holidays, making it very accessible to patients.
- We received consistently good feedback from patients about the quality of the practice’s staff and the effectiveness of their treatment.
- The practice provided a good range of dental services, including implants, orthodontics , cosmetic dentistry and conscious sedation, in modern and recently refurbished premises.
- The practice had equipment and medicines for treating medical emergencies in line with the recommendations of the British National Formulary and the Resuscitation Council UK guidance.
- Patients’ care and treatment was planned and delivered in line with evidence based guidelines, best practice and current legislation. Patients’ dental care records provided an accurate, thorough and contemporaneous record of patient care.
- Staff enjoyed their work citing good team work, support and training as the reason.
- Patients’ views about the practice were proactively sought and used to improve the service.
We identified regulations that were not being met and the provider must:
- Ensure the practice’s infection control procedures and protocols meet 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
There were areas where the provider could make improvements and should:
- Review the use of CCTV cameras to ensure it meets guidance as set out in the Information Commissioner’s’ Office; In the picture: A data protection code of practice for surveillance cameras and personal information.
- Provide staff with accredited safeguarding training for children and vulnerable adults.
- Bag oxygen masks in the medical emergency kit to maintain their hygiene.
- Maintain accurate, complete and detailed records relating to the employment of staff.
- Improve the range of the audit for the quality of dental care records with due regard to guidelines recommended by the Faculty of General Dental Practice.
- Review audit protocols to ensure learning points are documented and shared with all relevant staff.
- Improve the quality of the recording of practice meeting minutes.