Together Dental Ipswich

We carried out this announced inspection on 2 May 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 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

The Toothplace Dental Surgery Ipswich is in Ipswich, Suffolk and provides NHS and private treatment to adults and children.

There is level access for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. Car parking spaces, including spaces for blue badge holders, are available in a multi-storey car park next door to the practice.

The dental team includes two dentists, one dental nurse, one hygienist, one receptionist, one practice manager and a cleaner. 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 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. At the time of inspection there was no registered manager in post as required as a condition of registration. A registered manager is legally responsible for the delivery of services for which the practice is registered.

On the day of inspection, we collected 17 CQC comment cards filled in by patients and spoke with one other patient.

During the inspection we spoke with one dentist, one dental nurse, one receptionist and the practice manager. The practice team were supported during the inspection by the Operations Business Manager and the Chief Clinical and Operating Officer. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.

The practice is open: Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 5pm. Saturdays by appointment.

Our key findings were:

• The practice was part of a large corporate group which had a support centre located in Brentwood, Essex where support teams including human resources, IT, finance, health and safety, learning and development, clinical support and patient support services were based. These teams supported and offered advice and updates to the practice when required.
• The practice appeared clean and well maintained.
• The practice staff 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 provider had suitable safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding adults and children.
• The practice had thorough staff recruitment procedures.
• The clinical staff 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.
• Staff were providing preventive care and supporting patients to ensure better oral health.
• The appointment system took account of patients’ needs.
• The practice had effective leadership and culture of continuous improvement.
• 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 staff dealt with complaints positively and efficiently.
• The practice staff had suitable information governance arrangements.

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

• Review the practice’s arrangements for ensuring good governance and leadership by complying with registration requirements to ensure that there is a registered manager.
• Review the fire safety risk assessment and ensure that any actions required are complete and ongoing fire safety management is effective.