Updated 10 January 2020
We carried out this announced inspection on 4 November 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
Henderson House Dental Practice is in Haverhill and provides NHS and private dental treatment to adults and children.
There is level access for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. Car parking spaces are available near the practice.
The dental team includes eight dentists, one lead dental nurse, three dental nurses, four trainee dental nurses, three dental hygienists, one lead receptionist and two receptionists, one business manager and one practice manager. The practice has eight treatment rooms.
The practice is owned by an individual who is the principal dentist there. They have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated regulations about how the practice is run.
On the day of inspection, we collected 49 CQC comment cards filled in by patients and spoke with one other patient. We noted 47 of the cards were wholly positive, two cards expressed negative comments which we discussed with the practice and operations manager.
During the inspection we spoke with five dentists, the lead dental nurse, three dental hygienists, the lead receptionist, the operations manager 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 from 8am to 6pm.
Tuesday from 8am to 5pm.
Wednesday from 8am to 5pm.
Thursday from 8am to 5pm
Friday from 8am to 4pm.
Our key findings were:
- Patients were positive about all aspects of the service the practice provided and spoke highly of the treatment they received, and of the staff who delivered it.
- Staff knew how to deal with emergencies. We noted that some sizes of airways and clear face masks were not available in the emergency equipment instead of the recommended five. We found medicines to treat a severe allergic reaction were insufficient and not in line with the recommended guidance. During the inspection the practice manager confirmed these item had been ordered.
- Premises and equipment were clean and properly maintained and the practice followed national guidance for cleaning, sterilising and storing dental instruments.
- The practice had suitable safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
- The practice manager was new in post and was supported by the operations manager. They confirmed that fire drills and appraisals were scheduled to be undertaken.
- Patients’ care and treatment was provided in line with current guidelines.
- Staff treated patients with dignity and respect and took care to protect their personal information.
- The practice took complaints and concerns seriously and responded to them appropriately to improve the quality of care.
- Staff felt supported and valued and told us they enjoyed their work.
- The practice proactively sought feedback from staff and patients, which it acted upon.
- Staff felt involved and supported and worked well as a team. Staff spoke openly about how much they enjoyed working at the practice.
There were areas where the provider could make improvements. They should;
- Take action to implement any recommendations in the practice's fire safety risk assessment and ensure ongoing fire safety management is effective.
- 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.
- Improve the practice’s sharps procedures to ensure the practice is in compliance with the Health and Safety (Sharp Instruments in Healthcare) Regulations 2013.