Macrocare Dental Health

We carried out this announced comprehensive inspection on 29 July 2022 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 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:

• The dental clinic was visibly clean and well-maintained.
• Safeguarding processes were in place and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
• Patients were treated with dignity and respect and staff 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.
• Staff and patients were asked for feedback about the services provided.
• Complaints were dealt with positively and efficiently.
• The dental clinic had information governance arrangements.
• Staff felt involved and worked as a team.
• The clinical staff generally provided patients’ care and treatment in line with the current guidelines. However, improvements were needed to ensure information related to patient care was suitably recorded within the dental care records.
• The practice did not have infection control procedures which reflected published guidance.
• Risks to staff and patients from undertaking of regulated activities had not been suitably identified and mitigated.
• Staff knew how to deal with medical emergencies. Some of the life saving medical emergency equipment were not available, and they were not checked in accordance with the current guidelines.
• There were arrangements in place for the servicing of dental equipment. However, improvements were needed to ensure that the premises were safe.
• Improvements were needed to ensure that all recruitment checks had been carried out, including satisfactory evidence of conduct in previous employment.
• There was ineffective leadership and a lack of effective supervision of trainee dental staff.

Background

The provider has two practices and this report is about Macrocare Dental Health.

Macrocare Dental Health is in Woking, Surrey and provides NHS and private dental care and treatment for adults and children.

The practice is not accessible to people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. The practice had systems in place to communicate this to new patients before booking and they signposted people with mobility issues to nearby practices. Car parking spaces are available near the practice.

The dental team includes a principal dentist, one associate dentist, two trainee dental nurses and a receptionist. They are supported by a practice manager. The practice has two treatment rooms and a joint reception and waiting area.

During the inspection we spoke with the principal dentist, the associate dentist, one trainee dental nurse, the 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 to Friday 9am to 6pm.

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

• Ensure care and treatment is provided in a safe way to patients
• 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 are at the end of this report.

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

• Improve the practice`s recruitment policy and procedures to ensure that the necessary recruitment checks are carried out.
• Improve staff awareness of sepsis.