Archived: The Dental Office

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 1st March 2016 to ask the practice the following key questions; Are services safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led?

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

The Dental Office is located in the centre of Taunton and provides private treatment to patients of all ages. The practice consists of three treatment rooms, toilet facilities for patients and staff, a reception/waiting area and a staff room.

The practice offers treatment to both adults and children. However, no child patients had been seen since the practice opened. The practice offers routine examinations and treatment and cosmetic treatments. There is one dentist, a hygienist, a nurse and a practice manager.

The practice’s opening hours are

9.30 to 17.30 on Monday

9.30 to 17.30 on Tuesday

9.30 to 17.30 on Wednesday

9.30 to 17.30 on Thursday

9.30 to 17.30 on Friday

10.00 to 14.00 on Saturday

We carried out an announced, comprehensive inspection on 1st March 2016. The inspection took place over one day. The inspection was led by a CQC inspector. They were accompanied by a dental specialist advisor. The practice opened in November 2015 and was taking on new patients. At the time of our visit they had treated forty eight patients. There were no patients present during our visit.

For this inspection five people provided feedback to us about the service through comment cards. Patients were positive about the care they received from the practice. They were complimentary about the service offered which they said was good and one said that it was fantastic. They told us that staff were caring and friendly. Patients told us that the practice was clean and hygienic. We received no negative comments.

We received some concerns posted on our website and we considered this information as part of the inspection.

Our key findings were:

• Safe systems and processes were in place, including a lead for safeguarding and infection control.

• Staff recruitment policies were appropriate and most of the relevant checks were completed. Staff received relevant training.

• The practice had ensured that risk assessments were in place and that they were regularly reviewed.

• The clinical equipment in the practice was appropriately maintained. The practice appeared visibly clean throughout.

•The process for decontamination of instruments followed relevant guidance.

• The practice maintained appropriate dental care records.

• Patients were provided with health promotion advice to promote good oral care.

• Written consent was obtained for dental treatment.

• The dentist was aware of what process to follow when a person lacked capacity to give consent to treatment.

• All feedback that we received from patients was positive; they reported that it was a caring and effective service.

• There were governance systems in place at the practice such as systems for auditing infection control.

There were areas where the provider could make improvements and should:

• Review the procedure for training staff about resuscitation and basic life support with a view to staff having the training together to help them to respond to an emergency as a team.

• Review the process for recruitment to include two written references in line with current guidance about better recruitment.

• Review the fire risk assessment to reflect the risk management measures in place such as fire safety checks, fire equipment checks and fire evacuations.

• Review the process for cleaning and sterilising instruments to make sure that staff follow relevant guidance about testing the temperature of the water before washing instruments.

• Review the positioning of paper towels in the surgeries to reduce the risk of contamination.

• Review the policy about hand hygiene to make sure practice in relation to waste bins is in line with the policy.

• Review the storage of clinical waste to make sure it is stored securely.

• Review the process for transporting of clinical waste between practices and assess the risks and identify measures to control any risks.

• Review the training for staff to include training about equality and diversity.

• Review the arrangements for recording continual professional development (CPD) so that a record of all staff training is kept in the practice.

• Review the arrangements for appraisal of staff to include a form of appraisal for the dentist.
• Review the arrangements for accessibility to the practice and consider the use of translation services and a loop system.