The Care Quality Commission
  • Dentist
  • Dentist

City Way Dental Practice

18E City Way, Rochester, Kent, ME1 2AB

Provided and run by:
City Way Dental Practice

Important: The provider of this service changed. See old profile
Important: The provider of this service changed. See new profile

All Inspections

20 March 2019

During a routine inspection

We carried out this announced inspection on 20 March 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

City Way Dental Practice is in Rochester 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 some for blue badge holders, are available near the practice.

The dental team includes five dentists, three visiting dentists, six dental nurses, four of which are student nurses, two dental hygienists, a practice manager and deputy manager, both of which are registered dental nurses and two receptionists. The practice has six treatment rooms.

The practice is owned by a partnership 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. The registered manager at City Way dental Practice is the practice manager.

On the day of inspection, we collected 36 CQC comment cards filled in by patients and spoke with five other patients.

During the inspection we spoke with three dentists, four dental nurses, two receptionists and the practice manager and deputy manager. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.

The practice is open:

Monday, Wednesday, Thursday – 8.30am to 7pm

Tuesday, Friday 8.30am to 5pm

Our key findings were:

  • The practice appeared clean and well maintained.
  • The provider 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 to patients and staff.
  • The provider had suitable safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
  • The provider 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 provider had effective leadership and culture of continuous improvement.
  • Staff felt involved and supported and worked well as a team.
  • The provider asked staff and patients for feedback about the services they provided.
  • The provider dealt with complaints positively and efficiently.
  • The provider had suitable information governance arrangements.

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

  • Consider broadening the scope of audit systems. In particular, by the inclusion of antimicrobial prescribing and dental implant procedures.

25 July 2013

During a routine inspection

A wide range of patient information was available at the service. We saw that a patient information leaflet gave details about out of hours services, making complaints and providing care to nervous patients. People had been invited to give their opinions of the service by way of regular patient surveys and a suggestion box in the reception area. We recorded that improvements had been made as a direct result of comments made by some patients.

We reviewed patient notes and found that treatment options had been explained and that people had signed to agree to their care. Patients were kept safe from the risk of inappropriate treatment as they were required to provide up to date information about their medical conditions and medication. People we spoke with during our inspection said: 'It's very good here. They're[dentists and staff] all polite and helpful' and ' They're really flexible with appointments and I've never had cause for complaint'.

Patients also told us that they felt safe and cared for at the service. Staff had all received proper and current adult and child protection training.

The service was clean and hygienic with structured systems for decontamination and infection control.Regular audits had highlighted areas for improvement and action had been taken when necessary.