Updated 10 January 2020
We undertook a follow-up focused inspection of Swallownest Dental Practice on 3 December 2019. This inspection was carried out to review in detail the actions taken by the registered provider to improve the quality of care and to confirm that the practice was now meeting legal requirements.
The inspection was led by a CQC inspector who was supported by a specialist dental adviser.
We undertook a comprehensive inspection of Swallownest Dental Practice on 10 June 2019 under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. We found the registered provider was not providing well-led care and was in breach of regulation 17 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. You can read our report of that inspection by selecting the 'all reports' link for Swallownest Dental Practice on our website www.cqc.org.uk.
As part of this inspection we asked:
• Is it well-led?
When one or more of the five questions are not met we require the service to make improvements and send us an action plan. We then inspect again after a reasonable interval, focusing on the areas where improvement was required.
Our findings were:
Are services well-led?
We found this practice was providing well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations.
The provider had made improvements in relation to the regulatory breach we found at our inspection on 10 June 2019.
Background
Swallownest Dental Practice is in Sheffield 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 are available at the practice.
The dental team includes five dentists, eight dental nurses, one dental hygiene therapist, one receptionist and a practice manager. The practice has five treatment rooms. The company clinical director was present during the follow-up inspection.
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. The registered manager at Swallownest Dental Practice is the practice manager.
During the inspection we spoke with the practice manager and the company clinical director. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.
The practice is open: Monday to Friday 8am – 6pm.
Our key findings were:
- Systems to improve and monitor awareness of sepsis and sharps management were now in place.
- Leadership and clinical oversight were much improved.
- Radiographic quality assurance and completion of patient dental care records were now carried out in line with guidance.
- Systems to ensure awareness of responsibilities for safeguarding and the Mental Capacity Act 2005 were now embedded.
- The practice’s culture of learning for continuous improvement was more effective and embedded.
- The practice’s systems for recording patient’s personal information were now utilised effectively.
- Systems were in place to ensure clinicians remained up to date with current legislation and took account of relevant nationally recognised evidenced-based guidance.