Archived: Dovecot Dental Practice

We carried out this announced focused inspection on 16 February 2022 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 practice 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 usually ask five key questions, however due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and to reduce time spent on site, only the following three questions were asked:

• Is it safe?

• Is it effective?

• Is it well-led?

These questions form the framework for the areas we look at during the inspection.

Our findings were:

• The dental clinic appeared to be visibly clean and well-maintained.
• The practice had infection control procedures in place.
• Staff knew how to deal with medical emergencies. Appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment were available.
• Some of the systems and processes to help manage risk to patients and staff did not work effectively.
• Safeguarding processes were in place and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children. There were ways that these could be strengthened.
• The practice had staff recruitment procedures in place, but records in respect of this were not available on our inspection day.
• The clinical staff provided patients’ care and treatment in line with current guidelines.
• The provider had not carried out some key audits, for example, on the prescribing of antibiotics for patients and for radiography.
• Staff provided preventive care and supported patients to ensure better oral health.
• The appointment system took account of patients’ needs.
• Leadership for the practice was limited by the provider working across two sites which were not geographically close to each other.
• Staff worked as a team to deliver patient care and treatment.
• The dental clinic had information governance arrangements.

Background

The provider has two dental practices and this report is about Dovecot Dental Practice.

Dovecot Dental Practice is in Liverpool and provides predominantly NHS dental care and treatment for adults and children.

There is level access to the practice for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. Car parking spaces are available near the practice.

The dental team includes two dentists and four dental nurses. Administrative support is provided remotely. The practice has two treatment rooms.

During the inspection we spoke with both dentists, two dental nurses, and the practice administrator who provides administrative support remotely. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.

The practice is open Monday to Thursday from 9am to12.45pm and from 2pm to 5.30pm. Friday from 9am to 12.45pm and from 2pm to 5pm.

We identified regulations the provider was not complying with. They must:

• Establish effective systems and processes to ensure good governance in accordance with the fundamental standards of care.

Full details of the regulation the provider is not meeting are at the end of this report.