The Care Quality Commission
  • Dentist
  • Dentist

Eastgate Dental Centre

Eastgate House, 46 Wedgewood Street, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP19 7HL (01296) 433222

Provided and run by:
Eastgate Dental Centre Limited

All Inspections

10 February 2022

During an inspection looking at part of the service

We undertook a follow-up focused inspection of Eastgate Dental Centre on 10 February 2022.

This inspection was carried out to review, in detail, the actions taken by the registered provider to improve the quality of care and to confirm that the practice was now meeting legal requirements.

The inspection was led by a Care Quality Commission, (CQC), inspector who was supported by a specialist dental adviser.

At our inspection on 24 September 2021 we found the registered provider was not providing safe and well-led care and was in breach of Regulation 12 and 17 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014.

You can read our report of that inspection by selecting the 'all reports' link for Eastgate Dental Centre on our website www.cqc.org.uk.

As part of this inspection we asked:

  • Is it safe?
  • Is it well-led?

When one or more of the five questions are not met, we require the service to make improvements and send us an action plan. We then inspect again after a reasonable interval, focusing on the area where improvement was required.

Our findings were:

Are services safe?

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

The provider had made improvements in relation to the regulatory breach we found at our inspection on 24 September 2021.

Are services well-led?

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

The provider had made improvements in relation to the regulatory breach we found at our inspection on 24 September 2021.

Background

Eastgate Dental Centre is in Aylesbury and provides NHS and private preventive, cosmetic and implant dentistry for both 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 12 dental treatment rooms. Seven of which are based on the ground floor which is accessible to wheelchair users, prams and patients with limited mobility.

The practice employs 12 dentists, four specialist orthodontists, five hygienists, three dental hygiene therapists, six dental nurses, four trainee dental nurses, four reception staff and two practice managers (who are also trained nurses).

During the inspection we spoke with three dentists, two dental nurses, one receptionist and the practice manager.

We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.

The practice is open:

  • Monday 8.30am - 7.00pm
  • Tuesday 8.30am - 5.30pm
  • Wednesday 8.30am - 5.30pm
  • Thursday 8.30am - 5.30pm
  • Friday 8.30am - 5.30pm
  • Saturday 10.00am - 1.00pm

Our key findings were:

  • The provider had systems to help them manage risk to patients and staff.
  • The provider had quality assurance processes to encourage learning and continuous improvement.

These improvements showed the provider had taken action to improve the quality of services for patients and comply with the regulations when we carried out a follow-up focused inspection on 10 February 2022.

24/09/2021

During an inspection looking at part of the service

We carried out this announced focused inspection on 24 September 2021 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 second inspector and two specialist dental advisers.

To get to the heart of patients’ experiences of care and treatment, we asked the following three questions:

• Is it safe?

• Is it effective?

• 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 not 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 well-led?

We found this practice was not providing well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Background

Eastgate Dental Centre is in Aylesbury and provides NHS and private preventive, cosmetic and implant dentistry for both 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 12 dental treatment rooms. Seven of which are based on the ground floor which is accessible to wheelchair users, prams and patients with limited mobility.

The practice employs 12 dentists, four specialist orthodontists, five hygienists, three dental hygiene therapists, six dental nurses, four trainee dental nurses, four reception staff and two practice managers (who are also trained nurses).

The practice is owned by an organisation and as a condition of registration must have a person registered with the Care Quality Commission as the registered manager. Registered managers 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 registered manager at Bath

Street Dental Practice is the provider.

During the inspection we spoke with three dentists, two dental nurses, one receptionist and the practice manager.

We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.

The practice is open:

  • Monday 8.30am - 7.00pm
  • Tuesday 8.30am - 5.30pm
  • Wednesday 8.30am - 5.30pm
  • Thursday 8.30am - 5.30pm
  • Friday 8.30am - 5.30pm
  • Saturday 10.00am - 1.00pm

Our key findings were:

  • The provider had infection control procedures, but improvements were needed.
  • The provider had systems to help them manage risk to patients and staff, but these were not effective.
  • Staff knew how to deal with medical emergencies, but the management of emergency equipment and medicines required improvement.
  • 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, but improvements were needed to computer security.
  • Staff provided preventive care and supported patients to ensure better oral health.
  • The appointment system took account of patients’ needs.
  • The provider did not have effective clinical and management leadership.
  • The provider asked staff and patients for feedback about the services they provided.
  • The provider had information governance arrangements, but improvements were needed.

The provider accepted the clinical and managerial issues that we raised and took immediate action the day of our inspection to begin to address these. We were sent an action plan within 48 hours of our visit, which included evidence to demonstrate that many of the shortfalls have since been addressed.

Where evidence is sent that shows the relevant issues have been acted on, we have stated this in our report but we cannot say that the practice is compliant for that key question as this would not be an accurate reflection of what was found on the day of our inspection.

We identified regulations the provider was not complying with. They must:

  • Ensure care and treatment is provided in a safe way to patients and mitigate risks to the health and safety of service users receiving care and treatment. In particular:

safe management of radiography. fire safety, COSHH, infection control, training, medical emergencies, equipment and premises.

  • Establish effective systems and processes to ensure good governance in accordance with the fundamental standards of care.

Full details of the regulations the provider was not meeting is at the end of this report.

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

  • Implement audits for prescribing of antibiotic medicines taking into account the guidance provided by the Faculty of General Dental Practice.

22/11/2016

During an inspection looking at part of the service

We carried out a follow up inspection of Eastgate Dental Centre on 22 November 2016.

We undertook an announced comprehensive inspection of this service on 26 April 2016 as part of our regulatory functions and during this inspection we found a breach of the legal requirements.

After the comprehensive inspection, the practice wrote to us to say what they would do to meet the legal requirements in relation to the breach. This report only covers our findings in relation to those requirements.

We checked whether they had followed their action plan to confirm that they now met the legal requirements.

We reviewed the practice against one of the five questions we ask about services:

  • is the service well-led?

We have not revisited Eastgate Dental Centre as part of this review because the practice was able to demonstrate they were meeting the standards without the need for a visit.

A copy of the report from our last comprehensive inspection can be found, by selecting the 'all reports' link for Eastgate Dental Centre on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Our findings were:

Are services well-led?

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

Background

Eastgate Dental Centre provides NHS and private preventive, cosmetic and implant dentistry for both adults and children. The practice is situated in Aylesbury and has been established since 2005.

The practice has ten dental treatment rooms. Seven of which are based on the ground floor and two separate decontamination rooms used for cleaning, sterilising and packing dental instruments. The ground floor is accessible to wheelchair users, prams and patients with limited mobility.

The practice employs eight dentists, three hygienist, eight dental nurses, four reception staff and a deputy practice manager.

The practice opens 8.30am to 1pm and 2pm to 5.30pm Tuesday to Friday, 8.30am to 1pm and 2pm to 7pm on Monday and Saturday morning from 10am to 1pm.

There are arrangements in place to ensure patients receive urgent dental assistance when the practice is closed. This is provided by an out-of-hours on call service provided by the 111 service.

Mr. Sanjay Rayarel is registered as an individual and is legally responsible for making sure that the practice meets the requirements relating to safety and quality of care, as specified in the regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

Our key findings were:

  • Staff recruitment checks complied with Schedule 3 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (amended 2014).

The five key questions we ask and what we found:

Are services well-led?

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

Since the last inspection on 26 April 2016 the practice had implemented effective systems and processes to ensure staff recruitment checks met regulations.

26/04/2016

During a routine inspection

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 26 April 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 not providing well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Background

Eastgate Dental Centre provides NHS and private preventive, cosmetic and implant dentistry for both adults and children. The practice is situated in Aylesbury and has been established since 2005.

The practice has ten dental treatment rooms. Seven of which are based on the ground floor and two separate decontamination rooms used for cleaning, sterilising and packing dental instruments. The ground floor is accessible to wheelchair users, prams and patients with limited mobility.

The practice employs eight dentists, three hygienist, eight dental nurses, four reception staff and a deputy practice manager.The practice opens 8.30am to 1pm and 2pm to 5.30pm Tuesday to Friday, 8.30am to 1pm and 2pm to 7pm on Monday and Saturday morning from 10am to 1pm.

There are arrangements in place to ensure patients receive urgent dental assistance when the practice is closed. This is provided by an out-of-hours on call service provided by the 111 service.

Mr. Sanjay Rayarel is registered as an individual and is legally responsible for making sure that the practice meets the requirements relating to safety and quality of care, as specified in the regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

During our inspection we reviewed 21 CQC comment cards completed by patients and obtained the view of 41 patients and nine staff on the day of our inspection.

The inspection was carried out by a lead inspector and a dental specialist adviser.

Our key findings were:

  • We found that the practice ethos was to provide patient centred dental care in a relaxed and friendly environment.

  • Strong leadership was provided the practice owner.

  • Staff had been trained to handle emergencies and appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment was readily available in accordance with current guidelines.

  • The practice appeared clean and well maintained.

  • Infection control procedures were robust and the practice followed published guidance.

  • The practice had a safeguarding lead with effective processes in place for safeguarding adults and children living in vulnerable circumstances.

  • There was a policy and procedure in place for recording adverse incidents and accidents.

  • Dentists provided dental care in accordance with current professional and National Institute for Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines.

  • The service was aware of the needs of the local population and took these into account in how the practice was run.

  • Patients could access treatment and urgent and emergency care when required.

  • Staff recruitment files were incomplete.

  • Staff had received training appropriate to their roles and were supported in their continued professional development (CPD) by the practice manager.

  • Staff we spoke with felt well supported by the practice owner and were committed to providing a quality service to their patients.

  • Information from 21 completed Care Quality Commission comment cards gave us a positive picture of a friendly, caring, professional and high quality service.

  • The practice reviewed and dealt with complaints according to their practice policy.

We identified regulations that were not being met and the provider must:

  • Ensure the practice's recruitment policy and procedures are suitable and the recruitment arrangements are in line with Schedule 3 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 to ensure necessary employment checks are in place for all staff and the required specified information in respect of persons employed by the practice is held.

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

  • Establish a system for collating training records of all staff

  • Review the storage of products identified under Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) 2002 Regulations to ensure they are stored securely.

  • Review the availability of a hearing loop in both the ground and first floor reception areas for hearing aid users.

9 February 2012

During a routine inspection

We spoke with six people who had received treatment on the day of our visit to the practice. All said they were satisfied with the treatment they received. One said their dentist was ''brilliant''. One person told us they had been seen as an emergency and were pleased to have been offered an appointment promptly.

Several people said their partners and children also attended the practice. One said the staff were very good with treating children and added ''mine have no fear about coming here''. People commented that staff were friendly, polite and helpful. Treatment options were explained to them; one person said the dentist had shown them a video of what was required to help explain the procedure. People said they were told about costs of treatment before they went ahead with them.

We asked people if they had any concerns about their treatment and none were raised.

People said the practice was clean and hygienic.