The Care Quality Commission
  • Dentist
  • Dentist

Acorn Implant & Dental Practice Limited - Swanshurst Lane

208 Swanshurst Lane, Kings Heath, Birmingham, West Midlands, B13 0AW (0121) 777 1537

Provided and run by:
Acorn Implant & Dental Practice Ltd

All Inspections

4 January 2024

During a routine inspection

We carried out this announced comprehensive inspection on 4 January 2024 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 practice 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 advisor.

To get to the heart of patients’ experiences of care and treatment, we always ask the following 5 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:

  • The dental clinic appeared clean and well-maintained.
  • The practice had infection control procedures which reflected published guidance.
  • Staff knew how to deal with medical emergencies. Appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment were available.
  • The practice had systems to manage risks for patients, staff, equipment and the premises. Security of NHS prescription pads needed strengthening.
  • Safeguarding processes were in place and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
  • The practice had staff recruitment procedures which reflected current legislation.
  • Clinical staff provided patients’ care and treatment in line with current guidelines.
  • Patients were treated with dignity and respect. Staff took care to protect patients’ privacy and personal information.
  • Staff provided preventive care and supported patients to ensure better oral health.
  • The appointment system worked efficiently to respond to patients’ needs.
  • The frequency of appointments was agreed between the dentist and the patient, giving due regard to National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines.
  • There was effective leadership and a culture of continuous improvement.
  • Staff felt involved, supported and worked as a team.
  • Staff and patients were asked for feedback about the services provided.
  • Complaints were dealt with positively and efficiently.
  • The practice had information governance arrangements.

Background

Acorn Implant and Dental Centre Limited is Birmingham and provides NHS and private dental care and treatment for adults and children.

There is step free access to the practice for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. Car parking spaces, including dedicated parking for disabled people, are available near the practice. The practice has made reasonable adjustments to support patients with access requirements.

The dental team includes 6 dentists, 10 dental nurses (including 4 trainee nurses), 2 dental hygienists, 1 compliance manager, 1 administrator and 1 receptionist. The practice has 4 treatment rooms.

During the inspection we spoke with 1 dentist, 10 dental nurses (including 4 trainee nurses), and the compliance manager. The HR manager was also present for the inspection. We looked at practice policies, procedures and other records to assess how the service is managed.

The practice is open:

Monday from 9am to 5pm.

Tuesday from 9am to 8pm.

Wednesday from 9am to 8pm.

Thursday from 9am to 8pm.

Friday from 9am to 5pm.

Saturday from 9am to 1pm.

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

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

During a check to make sure that the improvements required had been made

At our previous inspection of this service in March 2013 we had some concerns with the systems in place for recruiting staff. We undertook this follow up review after the provider submitted to us information about the action they had taken to address these concerns.

This follow up review was undertaken as a 'desk top' exercise. We found that the provider had reviewed their recruitment processes and put in place arrangements to protect people from unsuitable staff. Although there had been no new staff since our previous inspection these arrangements, if followed, would ensure people's dental health needs were met by appropriate staff.

12 March 2013

During a routine inspection

During the inspection we spoke with two dentists (one of the dentists was also the registered manager and provider), two dental nurses, and the practice manager. We spoke with ten people who used the service either during our visit or by telephone to ask them about their experiences of the service.

People that used the practice were very positive about the service they received. People told us that staff were polite and they were very accommodating to their needs. They told us how they were given enough information about different treatment options and fees to make an informed decision about the treatment they received. Their comments included: 'I'm absolutely delighted with the practice' and 'Best dentist I've ever been to and I've been to a few.'

We found that people had been involved in the decisions about their treatment and that they received the care and treatment they needed. Records detailed the treatment people had received.

Infection prevention procedures were followed to minimise the risk of infection and ensure instruments were being hygienically cleaned.

There were systems in place to monitor how the practice was run to ensure people received a quality service.

We did raise concerns with the practice about their recruitment processes which they immediately began to address after our visit. The dental practice has now put in place processes to safeguard people who used the service when appointing new staff.