Oakville Dental Health Centre

We carried out this announced inspection on 5 June 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 providing well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Background

Oakville Dental Health Centre is in Selly Oak in the South West of Birmingham and provides NHS and private treatment to adults and children. The services are provided under two Care Quality Commission registered providers at this location. This report only relates to the provision of general dental care provided by Oakville Dental Partnership. An additional report is available in respect of the general dental care services which are registered under Oakville Practice Limited.

There is level access for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. Car parking spaces, including spaces for blue badge holders, are available in the practice car park.

The dental team includes nine dentists including a foundation dentist, six dental nurses, one dental hygienist, one receptionist and a practice manager. The practice has four treatment rooms, one of which is located on the ground floor to provide access for patients with limited mobility and wheelchair users.

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 Oakville Dental Health Centre is the principal dentist.

On the day of inspection, we collected 65 CQC comment cards filled in by patients.

During the inspection we spoke with three dentists, four dental nurses, one receptionist 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 8am to 5.30pm.

Tuesday from 7.30am to 5.30pm.

Wednesday from 7.30am to 5.30pm.

Thursday from 8am to 5.30pm.

Friday from 8am to 4pm.

Our key findings were:

• Effective leadership was provided by the principal dentist. Staff felt supported by the principal dentist and practice manager and were committed to providing a high-quality service to their patients.
• The practice appeared clean and well maintained. The provider had a refurbishment plan in place and had recently replaced a chair and flooring in one of the treatment rooms.
• 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.
• The practice had systems to help them manage risk to patients and staff. The provider did not provide a five-year fixed electrical wire test certificate. This was completed the day after our inspection and a copy of the certificate was sent to us within 48 hours of the inspection. The compressor servicing was last completed in April 2018 and had lapsed. We were advised that it had been scheduled for completion in July 2019.
• The provider had suitable safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
• The provider had thorough staff recruitment procedures and a comprehensive induction programme.
• 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 were providing preventive care and supporting patients to ensure better oral health.
• The appointment system took account of patients’ needs. Patients could access treatment and urgent and emergency care when required. The practice offered extended hours appointments opening early from 8am on Monday, Thursday and Friday; and opening from 7.30am on Tuesday and Wednesday.
• The provider had effective leadership and culture of continuous improvement. Training and development were at the forefront in this practice due to the principal dentist being a verified trainer who supported newly qualified foundation dentists.
• The provider 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 security of NHS prescription pads in the practice and ensure there are systems in place to track and monitor their use.
• Review the practice's systems for checking and monitoring premises maintenance taking into account relevant guidance and ensure that all services are well maintained. In particular ensuring that five-year fixed electrical wire test and the compressor servicing are completed within relevant timeframes.