The Care Quality Commission
  • Dentist
  • Dentist

N13 Dental Clinic

138 Bowes Road, London, N13 4NP (020) 8888 2121

Provided and run by:
Dr. Pegah Ziahosseini

All Inspections

22 September 2020

During an inspection looking at part of the service

We undertook a desk-based review of N13 Dental Care on 22 September 2020. This inspection was carried out to review in detail the actions taken by the registered provider to improve the quality of care and to confirm that the practice was now meeting legal requirements.

The inspection was led by a CQC inspector.

We undertook a comprehensive inspection of N13 Dental Care on 10 December 2019 under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. We found the registered provider was not providing well led care and was in breach of regulation 17 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. You can read our report of that inspection by selecting the 'all reports' link for N13 Dental Care on our website www.cqc.org.uk.

As part of this inspection we asked:

• Is it well-led?

When one or more of the five questions are not met we require the service to make improvements and send us an action plan. We then review again after a reasonable interval, focusing on the areas where improvement was required.

Our findings were:

Are services well-led?

We found this practice was providing well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

The provider had made improvements in relation to the regulatory breach we found at our inspection on 10 December 2019.

Background

N13 Dental Clinic is a dental practice in Enfield and provides NHS and private dental treatment to adults and children.

There is access for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. Car parking spaces are available outside the practice.

Practice staffing consists of a principal dentist, one associate dentist, one periodontist, two hygienists, one dental nurse, a receptionist and a practice manager.

The practice is owned by an individual who is the principal dentist there. They 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 is open: Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.

Our key findings were:

  • Appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment were available.
  • The provider had ensured facilities and equipment were safe, and that equipment was maintained according to manufacturers’ instructions, including electrical and air- conditioning units.
  • The provider had ensured the correct emergency medical equipment and medicines were available.
  • The provider had completed Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002 file with products risk assessed for safe handling and storage requirements.
  • The provider ensured that out of date materials could not be used on patients and were disposed of appropriately.
  • The provider had implemented radiography, infection control and antibiotic prescribing audits.
  • The provider had information governance arrangements.

We are mindful of the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on our regulatory function. This meant we took account of the exceptional circumstances arising as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. We will continue to discharge our regulatory enforcement functions required to keep people safe and to hold providers to account where it is necessary for us to do so.

10 December 2019

During a routine inspection

We carried out this unannounced inspection on 10 December 2019 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 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:

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 not providing well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Background

N13 Dental Clinic is a dental practice in Enfield and provides NHS and private dental treatment to adults and children.

There is access for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. Car parking spaces are available outside the practice.

Practice staffing consists of a principal dentist, one associate dentist, one periodontist, two hygienists, one dental nurse, a receptionist and a practice manager.

The practice is owned by an individual who is the principal dentist there. They have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated regulations about how the practice is run.

During the inspection we spoke with the principal dentist, hygienist, receptionist and 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 5pm.

Our key findings were:

  • The practice appeared clean and well maintained.
  • The provider had suitable safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
  • The provider had thorough staff recruitment procedures.
  • 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 appointment system took account of patients’ needs.
  • Staff felt involved and supported and worked well as a team.
  • The provider asked patients for feedback about the services they provided.
  • The provider dealt with complaints positively and efficiently.
  • The practice’s infection control arrangements required improvement in areas.
  • Staff knew how to deal with emergencies. Improvements were needed so that the recommended emergency medicines and life-saving equipment were available.
  • We saw records confirming the servicing, maintenance and regular checks of equipment and appliances. Improvements were required as the electrical five-year fixed wire safety certificate had not been obtained. The provider sent evidence to show this had been booked to take place in the next few days.
  • There was ineffective leadership and a lack of managerial oversight for the day-to-day running of the service.

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

  • Establish effective systems and processes to ensure good governance in accordance with the fundamental standards of care.

Full details of the regulation the provider is not meeting are at the end of this report.

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

  • Review the practice protocols regarding audits for prescribing of antibiotic medicines taking into account the guidance provided by the Faculty of General Dental Practice.
  • Review the practice protocols regarding auditing patient dental care records to check that necessary information is recorded.

4 July 2013

During an inspection looking at part of the service

The premises were clean and well maintained. The provider had carried out regular audits to monitor infection control guidelines as detailed in Department of Health Technical Memorandum 01-05 Decontamination in dental care practices. (HTM 01-05). Records showed infection control polices and procedures had been reviewed and updated and staff had been regularly briefed.

13 February 2013

During a routine inspection

Patients told us that treatment was explained to them by staff in the surgery in private, that they were given choices of treatment, were able to express their views and were involved in making decisions about their care and treatment. One patient told us "I was given choices and they were friendly."

We spoke with staff and saw records that showed care and treatment was planned and delivered in line with their individual treatment plan. Patients were recalled at intervals based on their individual needs. One patient told us "the treatment was good and efficient." All of the patients we spoke with said they would recommend the dentist.

Some staff knew how to report any allegations of abuse and had attended safeguarding training for children and vulnerable adults. We saw safeguarding policies and procedures for children. The provider told us that they had talked through some of the issues of safeguarding with staff.

The premises were clean and well maintained. Staff told and demonstrated to us their roles in infection control. The provider had not carried out regular audits to monitor infection control guidelines as detailed in Department of Health Technical Memorandum 01-05 Decontamination in dental care practices. (HTM 01-05).

We saw that patients' personal records including medical records were stored securely and were kept up to date. Records were retained and stored in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998.