The Care Quality Commission
  • Dentist
  • Dentist

Clarence House Dental Health Centre

22 Clarence Street, Gloucester, Gloucestershire, GL1 1DP (01452) 522720

Provided and run by:
Clarence House Dental Health Centre

Important: We are carrying out a review of quality at Clarence House Dental Health Centre. We will publish a report when our review is complete. Find out more about our inspection reports.

All Inspections

14 March 2024

During a routine inspection

We carried out this announced comprehensive inspection on 14 March 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.
  • 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

Clarence House Dental Health Centre in Gloucester and provides private dental care treatment for adults and NHS for 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 3 dentists, 10 dental nurses, 3 trainee dental nurses, 1 dental hygienists, 3 dental therapists, 2 receptionists, 1 practice manager, 1 CSR (Central sterilisation room) operator and 1 administrator. The practice has 5 treatment rooms.

During the inspection we spoke with 2 dentists, 3 dental nurses, 3 trainee dental nurses, 1 dental therapists, X dental hygienists, 2 receptionists, 1 CSR (Central sterilisation room) operator, and 1 practice manager. We looked at practice policies, procedures and other records to assess how the service is managed.

The practice is open:

  • Monday 8am to 6pm
  • Tuesday 8am to 5pm
  • Wednesday 8am to 5pm
  • Thursday 8am to 5pm
  • Friday 8am to 3:45pm
  • Saturday by appointment

We noted innovative approaches to providing person centred care. For example, a member of staff had created a sheet of ‘QR’ codes which directed patients to the British Basic periodontal website for specific dental treatment advice sheets.

23rd February 2017

During a routine inspection

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 23rd February 2017

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

Clarence House Dental Health Centre is located in the centre of Gloucester and provides private treatment to adults and NHS treatment to children. The practice consists of four treatment rooms, toilet facilities for patients and staff, a reception area, waiting areas, a consulting room, a staff room and an office.

The practice offers routine examinations and treatment. There are two dentists, two dental therapists/hygienists, one hygienist, eight dental nurses, two receptionists and a practice manager.

The practice’s opening hours are

8.00 to 19.00 on Monday

8.00 to 17.00 on Tuesday

8.00 to 17.00 on Wednesday

8.00 to 19.00 on Thursday

8.00 to 15.45 on Friday

They also open on the first Saturday in the month for half a day.

The practice is part of an independent group of dentists who run an on-call rota. Out of hours patients were directed to phone the dentist on-call.

We carried out an announced, comprehensive inspection on 23rd February 2017. The inspection was led by a CQC inspector who was accompanied by a specialist dental advisor.

For this inspection 49 people provided feedback to us about the service. Patients were positive about the care they received from the practice. They were complimentary about the service offered’ which they said was very good and excellent. They told us that staff were professional, welcoming, helpful, caring and friendly and the practice was clean and hygienic.

Our key findings were:

• Safe systems and processes were in place, including a lead for safeguarding but there was no lead for infection control.

• Staff recruitment policies were appropriate and most of the relevant checks were completed. Staff received relevant training.

• The practice had ensured that risk assessments were in place.

• The clinical equipment in the practice was appropriately maintained. The practice appeared visibly clean throughout although some surgeries and the decontamination room were cluttered.

•The process for decontamination of instruments followed relevant guidance.

• The practice maintained appropriate dental care records and patients’ clinical details were updated.

• Patients were provided with health promotion advice to promote good oral care.

• Consent was obtained for dental treatment.

• The dentists were aware of the process to follow when a person lacked capacity to give consent to treatment.

• All feedback that we received from patients was positive; they reported that it was a professional, caring and friendly service.

• There were arrangements for governance at the practice such as systems for auditing patient records and radiographs.

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

  • Review the procedures for reporting accidents to include written information for staff about the process for reporting accidents and incidents.
  • Review the system of team meetings to make sure practice based subjects such as health and safety, learning from accidents and incidents and learning from complaints are included as a regular agenda item.
  • Develop policies and procedures about the duty of candour, to support a culture of openness and transparency.
  • Review the recruitment procedures to ensure that written references are obtained before new staff start work in the practice in line with current guidance.
  • Review the arrangements for support to staff to make sure all staff receive regular appraisals and personal development plans at least once a year.
  • Review the arrangements for storing items in the surgeries and the decontamination room to make surfaces easier to clean.
  • Review the arrangements for communication to include a hearing loop for patients with a hearing impairment and access to a translation service for people whose first language is not English.
  • Review the arrangements for infection control to make sure a member of staff takes lead responsibility for infection control.