Updated 21 March 2018
Background
Smileright Dencare Limited – Cheltenham is in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire and provides private treatment to patients of all ages. The practice is open Monday to Wednesday and Friday 8:15am – 5:30pm and Thursday 8:15am – 5:45pm.
There is an elevator available for people who use wheelchairs and pushchairs. Car parking spaces are available near the practice.
The dental team includes five dentists, two dental nurses one of whom is the practice manager, a trainee dental nurse, and receptionists. The practice has three treatment rooms and a reception area.
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 Smileright Dencare Limited – Cheltenham was the practice manager.
On the day of inspection we collected two CQC comment cards filled in by patients and reviewed the practice patients satisfaction survey. This information gave us a positive view of the practice.
During the inspection we spoke with one dentist, one dental nurse, a trainee dental nurse and the practice manager. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.
Our key findings were:
- The practice was clean and well maintained.
- The practice 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 practice 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.
- The appointment system met patients’ needs.
- The practice had effective leadership. 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 dealt with complaints positively and efficiently.
There were areas where the provider could make improvements. They should:
- Review the practice’s arrangements for receiving and responding to patient safety alerts, recalls and rapid response reports issued from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and through the Central Alerting System (CAS), as well as from other relevant bodies such as, Public Health England (PHE).
- Review the training, learning and development needs of individual staff members and have an effective process established for the on-going assessment and supervision of all staff.
- Review the storage of records related to people employed and the management of regulated activities giving due regard to current legislation and guidance.