The Forum Dental Studio

Updated 3 February 2017

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the registered provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008

We carried out an announced, comprehensive inspection on 17 October 2016. The inspection was led by a CQC inspector who was supported by a specialist dental adviser.

We reviewed information we held about the practice prior to our inspection.

During the inspection we spoke with the principal dentist, associate dentists, the hygienist, dental nurses,business and practice managers and a receptionist.

To assess the quality of care provided we looked at practice policies and protocols and other records relating to the management of the service.

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 therefore formed the framework for the areas we looked at during the inspection.

Updated 3 February 2017

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 17 October 2016 to ask the practice the following key questions; Are services safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led?

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

The Forum Dental Studio is a mixed dental practice providing mainly private and some NHS dental care for both adults and children. Where private treatment is provided, some is provided under a fee per item basis and some under a dental insurance plan. The practice holds NHS contracts for the provision of orthodontic treatment for children and minor oral surgery on a referral basis only. The premises in which the practice is situated is a two storey purpose built facility but with all patient services available on the ground floor.

The practice has four dental treatment rooms, all on the ground floor. There is a separate decontamination room used for cleaning, sterilising and packing dental instruments and X-ray room. There is also a reception, divided waiting area and other rooms used by the practice for office facilities and storage. The practice is open from 8.30am to 5.15pm on Mondays to Thursdays and 8.30am to 4.30pm on Fridays.

The practice has five dentists who are able to provide services including the provision of dental implants (a dental implant is a metal post that is placed surgically into the jaw bone to support a tooth), orthodontic treatment (where malpositioned teeth are repositioned to give a better appearance and improved function) and minor oral surgery. They are supported by a hygiene therapist, seven dental nurses, a practice manager, a business development manager and a receptionist.

The principal dentist is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) as an individual. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated regulations about how the practice is run.

Before the inspection we sent Care Quality Commission comment cards to the practice for patients to complete to tell us about their experience of the practice. We also spoke with patients on the day of our inspection. We received feedback from 12 patients. These provided a very positive view of the services the practice provides. Patients commented on the high quality of care, their confidence in the staff, the relaxed atmosphere, the cleanliness of the practice and the efficiency and professionalism of staff.

Our key findings were:

• Patients commented that they were very happy with their care, staff were caring, efficient and knowledgeable and appointments were flexible.

• The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.

• The practice appeared very clean and well maintained and infection control standards were in line with national guidance.

• The practice had medicines and most equipment for use in a medical emergency which were in accordance with national guidelines with the exception of oxygen masks not being available for children and glucagon was stored in an unmonitored fridge. However we were advised following our inspection that these issues would be rectified.

• On the whole staff had received training and support appropriate to their roles and were up to date with their continued professional development (CPD). However we were not able to see records relating to all staff on the day of our inspection.

• Staff reported incidents and these were investigated and learning implemented to improve safety.

• Governance arrangements were in place for the smooth running of the service.

There were areas where the provider could make improvements and should:

• Review the protocols and procedures to embed a system of monitoring to ensure staff are up to date with their mandatory training and their Continuing Professional Development.
• Review the storage of dental care products and medicines requiring refrigeration to ensure they are stored in line with the manufacturer’s guidance and the refrigerator temperature is monitored and recorded.
• Review its audit protocols to ensure audits are practitioner specific where appropriate to identify specific areas for improvement.

• Review the practice’s infection control procedures and protocols giving due regard to guidelines issued by the Department of Health - Health Technical Memorandum 01-05: Decontamination in primary care dental practices and The Health and Social Care Act 2008: ‘Code of Practice about the prevention and control of infections and related guidance.
• Review the practice's recruitment arrangements to ensure they are in line with Schedule 3 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 to ensure necessary employment checks are in place where relevant and the required specified information in respect of persons employed by the practice is held.