Background to this inspection
Updated
9 January 2017
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the practice was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008.
This inspection took place on 1 November 2016 and was led by a CQC inspector and supported by a specialist dental advisor. Prior to the inspection, we reviewed information we held about the provider. We asked the practice to send us some information that we reviewed. This included the complaints they had received in the last 12 months, their latest statement of purpose, and the details of their staff members including proof of registration with their professional bodies.
During our inspection we toured the premises; we reviewed policy documents and staff records and spoke with four members of staff, including the registered manager. We looked at the storage arrangements for emergency medicines and equipment. We were shown the decontamination procedures for dental instruments and the computer system that supported the dental care records.
To get to the heart of patients’ experiences of care and treatment, we always ask the following five questions:
These questions therefore formed the framework for the areas we looked at during the inspection.
Updated
9 January 2017
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 1 November 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
New Street Dental Practice has two dentists who work part time, a dental hygienist, orthodontic therapist, a qualified dental nurse who is registered with the General Dental Council (GDC) and a practice manager who also works on the reception. The practice’s opening hours are 9am to 5pm on Monday and Wednesday, 9am to 4pm on Tuesday and Friday, 9.30am to 6.30pm on Thursday. The practice is also open from 9am to 1pm on one Saturday per month.
New Street Dental Practice provides is an invisalign orthodontic practice for private fee paying patients but routine and cosmetic private dental treatment for adults and children can also be provided on request. The practice has one dental treatment room on the first floor and a consultation room. There is a separate decontamination room for cleaning, sterilising and packing dental instruments. There is also a reception and waiting area.
The registered manager was present during this inspection. A registered manager is a person who is registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have a legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the practice is run.
Before the inspection we sent Care Quality Commission comments cards to the practice for patients to complete to tell us about their experience of the practice and during the inspection we spoke with patients. We received feedback from 14 patients who provided an overwhelmingly positive view of the services the practice provides. All of the patients commented that the quality of care was very good, dentists were knowledgeable and professional and staff were friendly.
Our key findings were
- Systems were in place for the recording and learning from significant events and accidents.
- Staff had received training regarding safeguarding vulnerable adults and child protection and were aware of the procedure for reporting any suspicions of abuse.
- There were sufficient numbers of suitably qualified staff to meet the needs of patients.
- Patients were treated with dignity and respect.
- The practice was visibly clean and well maintained.
- Infection control procedures were in place with infection prevention and control audits being undertaken on a six monthly basis. Staff had access to personal protective equipment such as gloves and aprons.
- There was appropriate equipment for staff to undertake their duties, and equipment was well maintained.
- The provider had emergency medicines in line with the British National Formulary (BNF) guidance for medical emergencies in dental practice.
- Staff had been trained to deal with medical emergencies.
- The appointment system met the needs of patients and waiting times were kept to a minimum.
- The practice had a whistle blowing policy and staff spoken with said that they would not hesitate to blow the whistle on any poor practice.
- The practice was well-led and staff felt involved and worked as a team.
- Governance arrangements were in place for the smooth running of the practice and there was a structured plan in place to audit quality and safety beyond the mandatory audits for infection control and radiography.