Budleigh Salterton Dental Practice & Implant Centre

We carried out this announced inspection on 25 June 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

Budleigh Salterton Dental Practice & Implant Centre is in Budleigh Salterton and provides predominantly private treatment to adults. There is a small NHS contract at the practice.

Access to the practice from street level is via steps or by using a chair lift. The premises are not suitable for wheelchair users. Car parking spaces are available near the practice.

The dental team includes two dentists, three dental nurses, one trainee dental nurse, three dental hygienists/hygienist therapists, three receptionists and a practice manager. 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. The registered manager at Budleigh Salterton Dental Practice & Implant Centre is the practice manager.

On the day of inspection, we collected six CQC comment cards filled in by patients. This gave us a positive view of the practice.

During the inspection we spoke with all the staff on duty and a senior manager from the wider organisation. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.

The practice is open: Monday to Thursday 9am – 5.30pm. Friday 9am – 4pm.

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 provider 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 provided preventive care and supporting patients to ensure better oral health.
• The appointment system took account of patients’ needs.
• 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 practice had not received any complaints in the last 12 months.
• The provider had suitable information governance arrangements.

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

• Review the practice's policy for the use of latex materials in the practice and latex allergy, identified by the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (2002).
• Review protocols regarding the prescribing and of antibiotic medicines, taking into account the guidance provided by the Faculty of General Dental Practice. Review secondary dispensing of medicines, taking into account the guidance provided by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society.
• Review procedures and policies for any resumption of conscious sedation services, taking into account guidelines ‘Conscious Sedation in Dentistry,’ published by SDCEP (2017).
• Review the practice’s protocols to ensure audits have documented learning points and the resulting improvements can be demonstrated.