Calm Dental Care

We carried out this announced inspection on 28 November 2019 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 provider 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 adviser.

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 form the framework for the areas we look at during the inspection.

Our findings were:

Are services safe?

We found this practice was providing safe care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Are services effective?

We found this practice was providing effective care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Are services caring?

We found this practice was providing caring services in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Are services responsive?

We found this practice was providing responsive care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Are services well-led?

We found this practice was providing well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Background

Calm Dental Care is in Urmston and provides NHS and private dental care and treatment for adults and children. The practice is an approved foundation dentist training practice. Foundation training practices have been approved by the dental deanery to provide training and support to newly qualified dentists.

There is level access to the practice for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. The practice has a car park with dedicated parking for people with disabilities.

The dental team includes six dentists (one of whom is a foundation dentist), five dental nurses, one dental therapist, a compliance lead (who is also a registered dental nurse) and a business manager. The practice has three treatment rooms.

The practice is owned by an individual who is the principal dentist there. They have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated regulations about how the practice is run.

On the day of inspection, we collected 71 CQC comment cards filled in by patients.

During the inspection we spoke with four dentists, one dental nurse, one dental therapist and the business manager. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.

The practice is open:

Monday from 8:30am to 6:00pm

Tuesday to Thursday from 8:30am to 5:30pm

Friday from 8:30am to 4:00pm

Saturday by appointment only

Our key findings were:

• The practice appeared to be visibly clean.
• The provider had infection control procedures which reflected published guidance.
• Staff knew how to deal with emergencies. Appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment were available.
• The provider had systems to help them manage risk to patients and staff. Improvements could be made to the process for managing the risks associated with Legionella.
• The provider had safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
• The provider had staff recruitment procedures which reflected current legislation.
• The clinical staff provided patients’ care and treatment in line with current guidelines.
• Staff treated patients with dignity and respect and took care to protect their privacy and personal information.
• Staff provided preventive care and supported patients to ensure better oral health.
• The appointment system took account of patients’ needs.
• The provider had effective leadership and a culture of continuous improvement.
• Staff felt involved and supported and worked as a team.
• The provider asked staff and patients for feedback about the services they provided.
• The provider dealt with complaints positively and efficiently.
• The provider had information governance arrangements.

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

• Take action to implement any recommendations in the practice's Legionella risk assessment, taking into account the guidelines issued by the Department of Health in the Health Technical Memorandum 01-05: Decontamination in primary care dental practices, and having regard to The Health and Social Care Act 2008: ‘Code of Practice about the prevention and control of infections and related guidance.’
• Improve the practice's systems for checking and domestic appliances taking into account relevant guidance.