Edgar Buildings Dental Care

We carried out this announced comprehensive inspection on 15 August 2023 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 advisor.

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 appeared clean and well-maintained.
• The practice had infection control procedures which reflected published guidance.
• Staff knew how to deal with medical emergencies. Appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment were available.
• The practice had ineffective systems to manage risks for patients, staff, equipment and the premises.
• Safeguarding processes were in place and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
• The practice had staff recruitment procedures which did not always reflect current legislation.
• Clinical staff provided patients’ care and treatment in line with current guidelines.
• Patients were treated with dignity and respect. Staff took care to protect patients’ privacy and personal information.
• Staff provided preventive care and supported patients to ensure better oral health.
• The appointment system worked efficiently to respond to patients’ needs.
• The frequency of appointments was agreed between the dentist and the patient, giving due regard to National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines.
• There was generally leadership and a culture of continuous improvement.
• Staff felt involved, 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 practice had information governance arrangements.

Background

Edgar Buildings Dental Care is part of Portman Healthcare Limited, a dental group provider. The practice is in Bath and provides private dental care and treatment for adults and children.

There is no step free access to the practice for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs due to the nature of the building. The practice has made reasonable adjustments to support patients with access requirements; patients are referred to a sister practice that is located a 5 minute walk away.

Car parking spaces are available near the practice.

The dental team includes 7 dentists with specialisms in orthodontics, endodontics, dental implants and oral surgery, 4 qualified dental nurses, 2 trainee dental nurses, 2 dental hygienists, 1 administrator, 1 practice manager who was also the registered manager, 1 treatment co - ordinator, and 4 receptionists. The practice has 4 treatment rooms.

During the inspection we spoke with 1 dentist, 1 orthodontist, 2 dental nurses, 1 receptionist, the registered manager and the group’s quality lead. We looked at practice policies, procedures and other records to assess how the service is managed.

The practice is open:

Monday – Friday 8:30am – 5:30pm

Saturday – 9am – 1pm, once a month

We identified regulations the provider is not complying with. They must:

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

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

• Improve the practice's recruitment policy and procedures to ensure accurate, complete and detailed records are maintained for all staff.

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