Mews House Dental

We carried out this announced inspection on 17 September 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 this practice was providing safe care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Are services effective?

We found this practice was providing effective care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Are services caring?

We found this practice was providing caring services in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Are services responsive?

We found this practice was providing responsive care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Are services well-led?

We found this practice was providing well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Background

Mews House Dental Practice is a small, family run service based in Baldock town centre. It offers private treatment to approximately 1000 active patients. The dental team consists of one dentist, a nurse and a receptionist.

There is one treatment room. The practice opens on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9am to 6.30pm and on Fridays from 9am to 3pm. It also opens on alternate Saturdays from 9am to 1pm. It is closed on a Wednesday.

There is portable ramp access for wheelchair users, but limited parking close by to the practice.

The practice is owned by a company 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 the practice is the dentist.

On the day of inspection, we collected 15 CQC comment cards filled in by patients.

During the inspection we spoke with all three members of the dental team. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.

Our key findings were:

• Staff treated patients with dignity and respect, and we received many positive comments from patients about the caring and empathetic nature of the practice’s staff.

• The practice was small and friendly, something which patients appreciated.

• Staff had the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment. The dental care provided was evidence based and focussed on the needs of the patients.

• The appointment system met patients’ needs and patients could get an emergency appointment easily.

• The provider asked staff and patients for feedback about the services they provided.

There were areas where the provider could make improvements. They should:

• Review the practice’s arrangements for receiving and responding to patient safety alerts, recalls and rapid response reports issued by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, the Central Alerting System and other relevant bodies, such as Public Health England.

• Review the availability of equipment in the practice to manage medical emergencies taking into account the guidelines issued by the Resuscitation Council (UK) and the General Dental Council.

• Review the practice protocols regarding audits for prescribing of antibiotic medicines taking into account the guidance provided by the Faculty of General Dental Practice.

• Review the practice’s safeguarding policy and ensure it takes into account both adults and children.

• Review staff understanding of the Mental Capacity Act and Gillick competency guidelines so that they are aware of their responsibilities in relation to them.