Old Harlow Dental Practice

We carried out this announced inspection on 25 April 2023 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.
• Safeguarding processes were in place and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
• 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 felt involved, supported and worked as a team. They expressed high levels of satisfaction in their job and with senior staff.
• Staff and patients were asked for feedback about the services provided.
• Auditing systems were good and were used effectively to drive improvement.
• Recruitment procedures were not robust and appropriate checks had not always been obtained for new staff working at the practice.

Background

Old Harlow Dental Practice provides both NHS and private dental care and treatment for adults and children. The dental team includes 3 dentists, 4 dental nurses, 2 dental hygienists, 1 receptionist and 2 practice managers. The practice has 3 treatment rooms.

There is ramp access to the practice for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. Public car parking spaces are available near the practice. The practice has made reasonable adjustments to support patients with access requirements.

During the inspection we spoke with 2 dentists, the practice manager, 2 dental nurses and the receptionist. We looked at practice policies, procedures, and other records to assess how the service is managed.

The practice is open on Mondays to Fridays from 9am to 5.30pm.

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

• Implement an effective recruitment procedure to ensure that appropriate checks are completed prior to new staff commencing employment at the practice.