Updated 16 November 2022
We undertook a follow up focused inspection of Friars Walk Dental Surgery on 26 October 2022. 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 who was supported by a specialist dental adviser.
We had previously undertaken a comprehensive inspection of Friars Walk Dental Surgery on 27 April 2022 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 Friars Walk Dental Surgery on our website www.cqc.org.uk.
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 inspect again after a reasonable interval, focusing on the areas where improvement was required.
As part of this inspection we asked:
• Is it well-led?
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 27 April 2022.
Background
Friars Walk Dental Surgery is in Dunstable and provides NHS and private dental care and treatment for adults and children.
There is level access to the practice via a ramp at the back of the practice for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. There is a car park for patients behind the practice. The practice has made some adjustments to support patients with additional needs.
The dental team includes 3 dentists, 4 dental nurses, 2 dental hygienists, 1 receptionist, an account manager, and a practice manager. The account manager and practice manager also work as dental nurses if needed. The practice has 4 treatment rooms, two waiting areas and 2 decontamination rooms.
During the inspection we spoke with 1 dentist, 1 dental nurse, 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 to Friday from 9am to 5pm.
There were areas where the provider could make improvements. They should:
- Improve the practice’s sharps procedures to ensure the practice is in compliance with the Health and Safety (Sharp Instruments in Healthcare) Regulations 2013.