Updated 26 June 2019
We carried out this announced inspection on 30 May 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 Care Quality Commission (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
Bishops Park Dental Centre is in Fulham in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham . The practice provides private dental treatment patients of all ages.
The practice is located on the ground floor and basement in a purpose-adapted premises. The practice has two treatment rooms. There is step-free access to the practice. The practice is located close to public transport services.
The dental team includes four dentists, two dental hygienists and one dental nurse. The clinical team are supported by a caretaker and a receptionist.
The practice is owned by an organisation 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 Bishops Park Dental Centre was the principal dentist.
On the day of our inspection we received feedback from 12 patients.
During the inspection we spoke with the principal dentist, one dental hygienist, the dental nurse and the receptionist. We checked practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.
The practice is open:
Mondays and Wednesdays between 8.30am and 4pm
Tuesdays between 8.30am and 5pm
Thursdays between 12.45pm and 8.30pm
Fridays between 8am and 3pm
The practice is also open every second and fourth Saturday of the month.
Our key findings were:
- The practice appeared clean and well maintained.
- The practice had infection control procedures in place. Improvements were needed so that infection prevention and control audits were carried out every six months taking into account 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. Improvements were needed to the systems to obtain information in relation to the use of temporary agency staff.
- 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 practice was providing preventive care and supporting patients to ensure better oral health.
- 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 had arrangements to deal with complaints positively and efficiently.
- The practice had suitable information governance arrangements.
There were some areas where the provider could make improvements. They should:
- Review the practice’s audit protocols to ensure infection control audits are undertaken at regular intervals and where applicable learning points are documented and shared with all relevant staff.
- Review the arrangements for obtaining relevant information in relation to temporary agency staff who work at the practice.