Updated 18 March 2020
We carried out this announced inspection on 10 February 2020 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 Care Quality Commission, (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 this practice was providing safe care in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Are services effective?
We found this practice was providing effective care in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Are services caring?
We found this practice was providing caring services in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Are services responsive?
We found this practice was providing responsive care in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Are services well-led?
We found this practice was providing well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Background
Wandsworth Dental Centre is located in the London borough of Wandsworth and provides NHS and private dental care and treatment for adults and children.
There is ramped access to the practice for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. Car parking spaces, including dedicated parking for people with disabilities, are available near the practice.
The dental team includes a principal dentist, seven dentists, three dental nurses (one of whom is also a receptionist), one trainee dental nurse, one dental hygienist 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 CQC 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 Wandsworth Dental Centre
is the principal dentist.
On the day of inspection, we collected 27 CQC comment cards filled in by patients and spoke with four other patients.
During the inspection we spoke with three dentists, two dental nurses, two receptionists and the practice manager. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.
The practice is open:
Monday & Tuesday 8:30 am to 7:00 pm
Wednesday 8:30 am to 5:15 pm
Thursday 8:30 am to 5:15 pm
Friday 8:30 am to 1:30 pm
Saturdays 9:00 am to 1:00 pm by appointment
Our key findings were:
- The practice appeared to be visibly clean and well-maintained.
- The provider had infection control procedures which generally reflected published guidance. However, improvements were required in regard to manually cleaning of used dental instruments.
- 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 safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
- The provider had recruitment procedures which generally reflected current legislation. However, there were some gaps in regard to the recording of references.
- 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 supported patients to ensure better oral health.
- The appointment system took account of patients’ needs.
- The provider had effective leadership and a culture of continuous improvement.
- Staff felt involved and supported and worked 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 information governance arrangements.
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. Particularly in regard to the recording of verbal references.
- Improve the practice’s infection control procedures and protocols taking into account the guidelines issued by the Department of Health in the Health Technical Memorandum 01-05: Decontamination in primary care dental practices, and having regard to The Health and Social Care Act 2008: ‘Code of Practice about the prevention and control of infections and related guidance’. In particular in regards to the manual cleaning of instruments and having an up to date Legionella risk assessment.
- Take action to ensure the practice stores records relating to people employed and the management of regulated activities in compliance with legislation and take into account current guidance.
- Take action to ensure all clinicians are adequately supported by a trained member of the dental team when treating patients in a dental setting taking into account the guidance issued by the General Dental Council.
- Take action to ensure the service takes into account the needs of patients with disabilities and to comply with the requirements of the Equality Act 2010. Particularly in regard to undertaking a disability access audit.
- Take action to ensure the clinicians take into account the guidance provided by the Faculty of General Dental Practice when completing dental care records.