The Care Quality Commission
  • Dentist
  • Dentist

Steeple Grange Dental Care

36 Steeple Grange, Wirksworth, Matlock, Derbyshire, DE4 4FS (01629) 822172

Provided and run by:
Steeple Grange Smiles Limited

All Inspections

23 July 2021

During an inspection looking at part of the service

We carried out this announced focussed inspection 23 July 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 specialist dental adviser.

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 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 providing well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Background

BUPA Dental Care Steeple Grange is close to Matlock in Derbyshire and provides NHS and private dental care and treatment for adults and children.

There is level access to the practice for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. Car parking spaces, including dedicated parking for people with disabilities, are available at the practice.

The dental team includes seven dentists including an oral surgeon, a dental implantologist and a specialist periodontist, one orthodontist, two dental hygienists, eight dental nurses including two trainees, two receptionists, one administrator and the practice manager. The practice has four treatment rooms, two of which are located on the ground floor.

The practice is owned by a company and as a condition of registration must have a person registered with the CQC 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 BUPA Dental Care Steeple Grange is the practice manager.

During the inspection we spoke with two dentists, three dental nurses, 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 and Thursday: 8:30am to 5:15pm

Tuesday and Wednesday: 8:30am to 6pm

Friday: 8am to 5:15pm

Our key findings were:

  • The practice appeared to be visibly clean and well-maintained.
  • The provider had infection control procedures which reflected published guidance.
  • Staff knew how to deal with emergencies. Appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment were available.
  • The provider had systems to help them manage risk to patients and staff.
  • 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 and personal information.
  • Staff provided preventive care and supported patients to ensure better oral health.
  • The provider had effective leadership and a culture of continuous improvement.
  • Staff felt involved and supported and worked as a team.

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

  • Improve the practice's protocols and procedures for the use of X-ray equipment in compliance with The Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017 and Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2017 and taking into account HPA-CRCE-010 Guidance on the Safe Use of Dental Cone Beam (Computed Tomography).

  • Improve the practice's protocols for medicines management and ensure all medicines are stored and dispensed of safely and securely.

29 April 2016

During a routine inspection

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 29 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 providing well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Background

Steeple Grange Smiles is part of the Oasis Dental Care group of dental practices. The practice is located over two floors of premises close to the village of Wirksworth. The practice was first registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in April 2011. The practice provides regulated dental services to both adults and children. The practice provides mostly private dental treatment (95%). There is a small NHS contract to provide services for minor oral surgery and orthodontics, and a service to a small number of children. Services provided include general dentistry, dental hygiene, crowns and bridges, root canal treatment and sedation.

The practice’s opening hours are: Monday: 8:30 am to 5:15 pm; Tuesday 8:45 am to 7:15 pm; Wednesday: 8:30 am to 7:15 pm; Thursday: 8:30 am to 5:15 pm; Friday 8 am to 5:15 pm and Saturday: by appointment one Saturday every month.

Access for urgent treatment outside of opening hours is by telephoning the practice and following the instructions on the answerphone message, which directs the patient to a dentist. Alternatively patients could ring the Derby or Chesterfield emergency dental service.

The practice manager is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) as an individual. 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 has ten dentists; three dental hygienists; ten qualified dental nurses; two receptionists; a practice manager and one administrator primarily to deal with referrals.

We received positive feedback from 34 patients about the services provided. This was through CQC comment cards left at the practice prior to the inspection and by speaking with patients in the practice.

Our key findings were:

  • Patients provided positive feedback about their experiences at the practice. Patients said they were treated with dignity and respect.
  • Dentists identified the treatment options, and discussed these with patients.
  • Patients’ confidentiality was maintained.
  • There were systems in place to record accidents, significant events and complaints, and where learning points were identified these were shared with staff.
  • The practice carried out intravenous sedation for nervous patients or those requiring minor oral surgery.
  • The records showed that apologies had been given for any concerns or upset that patients had experienced at the practice.
  • The practice 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.
  • There was a whistleblowing policy accessible to all staff, who were aware of procedures to follow if they had any concerns.
  • Records showed there were sufficient numbers of suitably qualified staff to meet the needs of patients.
  • 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 infection control arrangements in the minor oral surgery room with regard to the spittoon. Giving due regard to the guidance from the Department of Health's: ‘Health Technical Memorandum 01-05 (HTM 01-05).
  • Review the practice policy with regard to Equality and Diversity and consider installing a hearing loop as a reasonable addition as identified in the Equality Act (2010).

7 January 2013

During a routine inspection

We spoke with three patients who had come for appointments at Steeplegrange Smiles. They were all private patients and were very happy with the treatment they had received. All of the patients told us they had been given the opportunity to ask questions about their treatment. One patient told us 'I've been coming here for a number of years and I am very happy, the staff are very friendly', another patient told us that the practice was regularly updating its equipment or refurbishing surgeries and that they were impressed by this.

We found that patients' needs were assessed and that they were asked to complete a medical history questionnaire before being seen in the surgery. This information was then reviewed with the patients at subsequent visits. Patients' records were stored securely and were held both electronically and on paper.

The three patients we spoke with advised us that they had never needed to make a complaint about their care. They told us that should they have any concerns, they would feel happy in discussing these with their dentist or the practice manager. The complaints records we looked at showed that the complaints received had been recorded and acted on appropriately.