Brite Care Dental Practice

We carried out this announced inspection on 14 December 2021 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 questions:

• Is it safe?

• Is it effective?

• 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 well-led?

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

Background

Brite Care dental practice is in Market Harborough, Leicestershire and provides NHS and private dental care and treatment for adults and children.

There is ramped access to the practice for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs and ground floor treatment rooms. Car parking spaces, including dedicated parking for people with disabilities, are available near the practice.

The dental team includes three dentists, three trainee dental nurses two of which also work as receptionists. The practice has three treatment rooms.

The practice is owned by a company and as a condition of registration must have a person registered with the CQC 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 Brite Care dental practice is a partner.

During the inspection we spoke with one dentist, one dental nurse, two receptionists (who are also trainee dental nurses) and the providers, one of whom is the registered manager. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.

The practice is open: Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm.

Our key findings were:

• The practice appeared to be visibly clean and well-maintained.
• 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 provider had systems to help them manage risk to patients and staff.
• The provider had safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
• The provider had staff recruitment procedures which reflected current legislation. However, the provider did not have oversight to ensure the correct level of disclosure and barring service check had been completed for dental nurses.
• The clinical staff provided patients’ care and treatment in line with current guidelines.
• Staff provided preventive care and supported patients to ensure better oral health.
• The provider had effective leadership and a culture of continuous improvement.
• Staff felt involved and supported and worked as a team.
• The provider asked staff and patients for feedback about the services they provided.
• The provider had information governance arrangements.

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

• Ensure there are systems in place to track and monitor the use of NHS prescription pads.

• Implement an effective recruitment procedure to ensure that appropriate checks are completed prior to new staff commencing employment at the practice. In particular, ensuring the correct level of Disclosure and Barring Service checks are completed for staff.