Background to this inspection
Updated
3 February 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.
The inspection was carried out on 5 October 2016 by a CQC inspector who was supported by a specialist dental advisor.
We informed NHS England area team that we were inspecting the practice; however we did not receive any information of concern from them.
During the inspection, we spoke with the two dentists one of which is the principal, dental nurses and a receptionist. We reviewed policies, procedures and other documents. We also reviewed seven comment cards that we had left prior to the inspection, for patients to complete, about the services provided at the practice. We carried out a tour of the practice observing the decontamination procedures for dental instruments.We looked at the storage of emergency medicines and equipment. We were shown the systems which supported patients’ 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
3 February 2017
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 5 October 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.
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
Anele De Novo Dental Practice Beltinge provides both restorative and preventative dentistry on an NHS and private basis to approximately 7500 patients of all ages. More complex procedures such as oral surgery and implants are provided privately. The practice has three dental treatment rooms which are based on the ground floor. There is a separate decontamination room used for cleaning, sterilising and packing of instruments. The ground floor is accessible to wheelchair users, prams and patients with limited mobility via an inbuilt ramp. There is a wheelchair accessible toilet.
The practice employs three dentists, one hygienist, three registered dental nurses who also work on the reception area and one receptionist.
The practice’s opening hours are Monday to Friday between 8.45 am and 5.30 pm. Access for urgent treatment outside of opening hours is by a dental advice line. Before the inspection we sent Care Quality Commission comment cards to the practice for patients to complete to tell us about their experience of the practice. We received feedback from seven patients. These provided a completely positive view of the services the practice provides. Patients commented on the very good service they received, the caring nature of all staff, the helpfulness of reception staff and the overall high quality of customer care.
Our key findings were:
- The practice appeared visibly clean, was bright and clutter free.
- Staff were polite and friendly.
- The building was maintained to a suitable standard for a dental practice and provided wheelchair access and a wheelchair accessible toilet.
- There was appropriate equipment for staff to undertake their duties, and equipment was well maintained.
- Staff had been trained to deal with medical emergencies and emergency medicines and equipment were readily available.
- Patients were able to make routine and emergency appointments when needed.
- Infection control procedures followed published guidance.
- Clinical staff had the necessary skills to carry out their duties in line with the requirements of their professional registration.
- Information from seven completed Care Quality Commission (CQC) comment cards gave a positive picture of a friendly and caring service.
There were areas where the provider could make improvements and should:
- Review its audit protocols to document learning points that are shared with all relevant staff and ensure that the resulting improvements can be demonstrated as part of the audit process.
- Review the practice policy for infection control and update yearly to maintain compliance with national guidance.
- Review the practice policy for fire safety and consider carrying out fire drills.
- Review the way that recruitment checks are carried out for new staff at the practice to ensure that Disclosure and Barring Services (DBS) checks are carried out in a timely manner.
- Review the information that is gained from the NHS Friends and Family Test (FFT) and consider displaying this in the patient waiting area.