Archived: Hall & Purchase - New Ollerton

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 12 January 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

The practice is located in first floor premises situated in the centre of New Ollerton in north Nottinghamshire. There are four treatment rooms. The practice provides mostly NHS dental treatments (99%). There is a free car parking to the rear of the practice.

The practice provides regulated dental services to both adults and children. Services provided include general dentistry, dental hygiene, crowns and bridges, and root canal treatment.

The practice’s opening hours are – Monday: 8:30 am to 5:30 pm; Tuesday: 8:30 am to 4:30pm; Wednesday: 8:30 am to 5:30 pm; Thursday: 8:30 am to 5:30 pm and Friday: 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.

Access for urgent treatment outside of opening hours is by telephoning the practice and following the instructions on the answerphone message. Alternatively patients can telephone the NHS 111 telephone number.

The practice manager is the registered manager. 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 is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) as an organisation.

The practice has three dentists; two therapists; five qualified dental nurses; three trainee dental nurses; two receptionists; two administrative staff; one cleaner and one practice manager.

Before the inspection we sent CQC comments cards to the practice for patients to complete to tell us about their experience of the practice and during the inspection we spoke with patients. We received responses from 45 patients through both comment cards and by speaking with them during the inspection. Those patients provided positive feedback about the services the practice provides.

Our key findings were:

• The premises were visibly clean and there were systems and processes in place to maintain the cleanliness.
• The systems to record accidents, significant events and complaints, learning points from these were recorded and used to make improvements.
• Records showed there were sufficient numbers of suitably qualified staff to meet the needs of patients.
• There were effective systems at the practice related to the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002.
• Patients said they had no problem getting an appointment that suited their needs.
• Patients were able to access emergency treatment when they were in pain.
• Patients provided positive feedback about their experiences at the practice. Patients said they were treated with dignity and respect.
• Dental care records did not always demonstrate that the dentists involved patients in discussions about treatment options.
• Patients’ confidentiality was protected within the practice.
• The records showed that apologies had been given for any concerns or upset that patients had experienced at the practice.
• The practice mostly followed 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. However there were two policies in place which gave conflicting advice.
• There was a whistleblowing policy accessible to all staff, who were aware of procedures to follow if they had any concerns about a colleague’s practice.
• 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 arrangements for first aid within the practice to ensure the contents of the first aid box are checked regularly to ensure they arein date and safe to use.

• Review how the practice manages sharps in line with the Health and Safety (Sharp Instruments in Healthcare) Regulations 2013. Particularly in respect of signing and dating sharps bins.

• 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.

• Review audit protocols to record learning points that are shared with all relevant staff and ensure that the resulting improvements can be demonstrated as part of the audit process.

Review the security of prescription pads in the practice and ensure there are systems in place to monitor and track their use.