The Strawberry Hill Dental Clinic

We carried out this announced comprehensive focused inspection on 21 October 2022 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 practice 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 5 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:

• The dental clinic was visibly clean and well-maintained.
• Safeguarding processes were in place and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
• The clinical staff provided patients’ care and treatment in line with current guidelines.
• Patients were treated with dignity and respect and staff took care to protect their privacy and personal information.
• Staff provided preventive care and supported patients to ensure better oral health.
• The appointment system took account of patients’ needs.
• Staff felt involved and supported and worked as a team.
• Staff and patients were asked for feedback about the services provided.
• Complaints were dealt with positively and efficiently.
• The dental clinic had information governance arrangements.
• The practice had infection control procedures which broadly reflected published guidance.
• Improvements were needed to the systems to help the provider manage risk to patients and staff.
• Staff knew how to deal with medical emergencies.
• The practice did not have staff recruitment procedures which reflected current legislation.
• The leadership and oversight for the day-to-day management of the service needed improvements.
• There were ineffective systems to support continuous improvement

Background

The Strawberry Hill Dental Clinic is in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and provides private dental care and treatment for adults and children.

There is level access to the practice for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. Car parking spaces, including dedicated parking for disabled people, are available near the practice.

The dental team includes the principal dentist, 1 dental nurse, 2 receptionists who undertake management duties and 1 additional practice manager. The practice has 1 treatment room.

During the inspection we spoke with the principal dentist, , the dental nurse and 1 receptionist. We also spoke with a practice manager by telephone as they were not on-site. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.

The practice is open:

Monday 10.15am to 5pm

Tuesday and Thursday 10.15am to 6pm

Friday 10am to 2.30pm.

We identified regulation the provider was not complying with. They must:

• Establish effective systems and processes to ensure good governance in accordance with the fundamental standards of care.

Full details of the regulation the provider was not meeting are at the end of this report.

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

• Implement audits for prescribing of antibiotic medicines taking into account the guidance provided by the College of General Dentistry.