Archived: Huntingdon Dental Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 9 February 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

Huntingdon Dental Practice provides mostly NHS dental treatment to adults and children. It also provides a number of additional private treatments such as cosmetic crowns, tooth whitening and dental implants.

The practice employs three dentists, two hygienists and has a visiting dental implant specialist. They are supported by four dental nurses, one full-time receptionist and a practice manager. The practice opens from Monday to Fridays between 8am and 5pm. Emergency appointments are available from 8am to 9.30am each day.

The practice’s premises are rented and consist of five treatment rooms, a patient waiting room, a sterilisation suite and a small staff room.

We spoke with three patients during our inspection and also received 43 comments cards that had been completed by patients prior to our inspection. We received many positive comments about the practice. Patients told us they were very happy with the quality of the dental care they received; that staff were professional and caring, and the practice’s hygienists had helped them manage and reduce their gum disease.

Our key findings were:

• We received consistently good feedback from patients about the quality of the practice’s staff and the effectiveness of their treatment. Patients’ views were proactively sought by the practice and used to improve the service.

• 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.

• There was an effective system in place for reporting and recording significant events, and learning from them was shared widely with staff.

• Safeguarding patients was given high priority within the practice, and staff responded quickly and professionally to concerns raised.

• Infection control and decontamination procedures were robust, ensuring patients’ safety.

• Staff had a thorough understating of the Mental Capacity Act and the importance of gaining patients’ informed consent.

• The practice was responsive to the differing needs of patients and provided comprehensive information about its services in other languages, and also in other formats such as audio and CD.

• Patients’ complaints were well managed, and responded to in a timely and empathetic way.

• Patients received their care and treatment from well trained and supported staff. These staff received regular appraisal and observation of their performance. Staff enjoyed their work citing good team work, support and training as the reason.

• The practice was well- led, with effective governance and management procedures in place.

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

• Implement a system to monitor and track referrals made on patients’ behalf to other dental care providers.

• Keep a copy of the practice’s business continuity plan off site so it can be accessed easily in the event of an emergency.

• Provide warning of steep internal steps to make patients aware of them.