Updated 23 October 2017
<Summary here>
We carried out this announced inspection on 4 October 2017 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.
We told the NHS England area team and Healthwatch that we were inspecting the practice. We did not receive any information of concern from them.
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
Vitality Dental Care is in Stokesley and provides NHS orthodontic treatment and private dental treatments to adults and children.
There is a small ramp to the side of the practice for access for people who use wheelchairs and pushchairs. Car parking spaces, including for patients with disabled badges, are available near the practice.
The dental team includes 11 dentists (one of whom is a endodontist, one is a specialist orthodontist, one is a periodontist, two work with dental implants and one provides dental sedation), seven dental nurses (one of whom is a trainee), a dental hygienist, a dental hygiene therapist, a receptionist, a practice manager and support from the operations manager.
The practice has three surgeries, one is accessible on the ground floor and two are located on the first floor, a dedicated room for taking Orthopantomogram (OPG) X-rays and cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans, a decontamination room for sterilising dental instruments, a staff room/kitchen and a general office.
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 Vitality Dental Care was the operations manager.
On the day of inspection we collected 16 CQC comment cards filled in by patients. This information gave us a positive view of the practice.
During the inspection we spoke with two dentists, three dental nurses, a receptionist, the practice manager and the operations manager. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.
The practice is open:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday 8:30am – 5pm
Wednesday 8:30am – 5:45pm
Saturday 12pm – 4pm.
Our key findings were:
- The practice was clean and well maintained.
- The practice 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.
- The practice had suitable safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding adults and children.
- The practice 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.
- The appointment system met patients’ needs.
- The practice had effective leadership. Staff felt involved and supported and worked well as a team.
- The practice asked staff and patients for feedback about the services they provided.
- The practice dealt with complaints positively and efficiently.
There were areas where the provider could make improvements. They should:
- Review the availability of equipment to manage medical emergencies taking into account guidelines issued by the Resuscitation Council (UK), and the General Dental Council (GDC) standards for the dental team.