Stamford House Dental Practice

We carried out this announced inspection on 16 November 2017 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.

We told Healthwatch that we were inspecting the practice. They did not provide any information.

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

Stamford House Dental Practice is in Axminster and provides private treatment to patients of all ages.

The surgery is on the ground floor and there is ramp access to the practice for people who use wheelchairs and pushchairs. Car parking spaces are available at the practice.

The dental team includes one dentist, one dental nurse, one trainee dental nurse and one receptionist. The practice has one treatment room.

The practice is owned by an individual who is the principal dentist there. They have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated regulations about how the practice is run.

On the day of inspection we collected 51 CQC comment cards filled in by patients. This information gave us a positive view of the practice.

During the inspection we spoke with the dentist, the dental nurse and the receptionist. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.

The practice is open: Monday 8am – 7.30pm. Tuesday – Friday 9am – 5pm.

Our key findings were:

• The practice was clean and well maintained.
• The practice had infection control procedures which reflected 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 processes for safeguarding adults and children.
• The practice had thorough staff recruitment procedures.
• The dentist 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 appointment system met patients’ needs.
• The dentist provided 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 not received any complaints.

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

• Review the responsibilities to the needs of people with a disability, including those who use wheelchairs or have hearing and sight difficulties and the requirements of the Equality Act (2010).
• Review the practice’s sharps policy and procedures taking regard of the Health and Safety (Sharp Instruments in Healthcare) Regulations (2013).
• Review the practice's protocols for completion of dental care records taking into account guidance provided by the Faculty of General Dental Practice regarding clinical examinations and record keeping.