Styvechale Dental Care

We carried out this announced inspection on 17 July 2018 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 providing well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Background

Styvechale Dental Care is in Styvechale, Coventry and provides private treatment to adults and children.

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

The dental team includes five dentists, six dental nurses (all of whom were also trained in reception duties), a decontamination assistant, one dental hygienist, one dental hygiene therapist, an assistant practice manager and a practice manager. The practice has five dental treatment rooms.

The practice is owned by a partnership and as a condition of registration must have a person registered with the Care Quality Commission 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 Styvechale Dental Care is one of the partners.

On the day of inspection we collected 20 CQC comment cards filled in by patients.

During the inspection we spoke with three dentists, one dental nurse, the decontamination assistant, one dental hygienist, the assistant practice manager 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 from 9am to 5.30pm

Tuesday from 8.15am to 5.30pm

Wednesday from 8.15am to 5.30pm

Thursday from 8.15am to 5.30pm

Friday from 8.15am to 5.30pm

One Saturday per month from 9am to 12.30pm

Our key findings were:

• Strong and effective leadership was provided by the partners, an empowered practice manager and the assistant practice manager. Staff felt involved and supported and informed us this was a good place to work.
• The practice appeared clean and well maintained. The practice had a contract in place with a cleaning company.
• 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. At the time of our visit the practice did not record daily defibrillator checks. They showed us a logbook that had been purchased to record this in and informed us that they would use this following a staff meeting which had been scheduled for the following week.
• The practice had systems to help them manage risk to patients and staff. We found the practice had not completed a five-year electrical fixed wire test, this was immediately scheduled following our visit.
• The practice had a safeguarding lead with effective processes in place for safeguarding adults and children living in vulnerable circumstances. Most of the practice team had completed higher level safeguarding training than that which was required.
• The provider had thorough staff recruitment procedures. They had a very low staff turnover with most team members having worked at the practice for at least ten years.
• 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.
• The provider was providing preventive care and supporting patients to ensure better oral health. They routinely referred patients to their dental hygienist and dental hygiene therapist through a clear care pathway.
• The appointment system met patients’ needs. Patients could access treatment and urgent care when required.
• The practice asked staff and patients for feedback about the services they provided.
• The provider dealt with complaints positively and efficiently.
• The provider had suitable information governance arrangements.

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

• Review the practice's policy for the control and storage of substances hazardous to health identified by the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002, to ensure risk assessments are undertaken for all relevant dental materials and substances.