Lodge House Dental Practice

Updated 26 April 2016

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the practice was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008

The inspection took place on 18 March 2016 and was conducted by a CQC inspector and a dental specialist advisor was available for telephone advice

During the inspection we spoke with the dentist, the dental nurses and the receptionist. We received feedback from comment cards completed by 11 patients about the quality of the service. We reviewed policies, procedures and other documents relating to the management of the service.

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 therefore formed the framework for the areas we looked at during the inspection.

Updated 26 April 2016

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 18 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

Lodge house dental practice offers private dental care services. The services provided include preventative advice and treatment, routine restorative and a full range of private dental options. The practice has one treatment room and a spacious waiting area. The practice is open Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 7.30 am to 6pm and on Wednesday and Friday 7.30 to 2pm. Weekend opening hours can be arranged by special arrangement for patients who are unable to attend during the normal working hours.

The practice has one dentist one dental nurse and a receptionist.

The principal dentist is the registered manager. A registered manager is a person who is registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the practice is run.

Our key findings were:

• There were effective systems in place to reduce the risk and spread of infection.
• There were systems in place to check all equipment had been serviced regularly.
• Staff had received safeguarding and whistleblowing training and knew the processes to follow to raise any concerns.
• Patients’ care and treatment was planned and delivered in line with evidence based guidelines, best practice and current legislation.
• The practice ensured staff maintained the necessary skills and competence to support the needs of patients.
• There were sufficient numbers of suitably qualified staff to meet the needs of patients.
• Staff had been trained to handle emergencies and appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment were readily available.
• Patients received clear explanations about their proposed treatment, costs, benefits and risks and were involved in making decisions about it.
• Patients were treated with dignity and respect and confidentiality was maintained.
• The appointment system met the needs of patients and waiting times were kept to a minimum.
• There was an effective complaints system and the practice was open and transparent with patients if a mistake had been made.
• The practice was well-led and staff felt involved and worked as a team.
• Governance systems were effective and there was a range of clinical and non-clinical audits to monitor the quality of services.

The practice sought feedback from staff and patients about the services they provided.