Archived: Mayden Dental Practice

Updated 4 February 2016

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection of Mayden Dental Practice on 15 September 2015. Our inspection team was led by a CQC Lead Inspector. The team included a Dentist specialist advisor.

Before visiting, we reviewed a range of information we hold about the practice and asked other organisations, such as NHS England and the local Healthwatch, to share what they knew. We did not receive any information of concern.

During our visit we spoke with a range of staff (the dentist, the practice manager, the business manager, the dental therapist and a dental nurse) and spoke with five patients. We reviewed practice documentation.

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 4 February 2016

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 15 September 2015 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

Mayden dental practice provides general dentistry and other specialist dentistry such as orthodontics. The practice provides private services for patients in New Romney, Kent and the surrounding area.

The practice staff included a dentist, a dental therapist, two dental nurses and receptionists. Dental services are provided Monday 9am to 6pm, Tuesday 9am to 5.45pm, Wednesday and Thursday 8.30am to 6pm and Fridays 9am to 2pm. There are appointments available on Tuesday evenings and Saturday mornings for patients who have difficulty attending during normal working hours.

We talked to five patients. They believed that the practice offered an excellent service and staff were efficient, helpful and caring. All commented that staff always had time to spend with them. They commented that it was fairly easy to get appointments and that if they needed emergency treatment staff made time to fit this in. They did not feel that staff were pressured to complete procedures and staff took time to explain what they were doing. They said that staff treated patients with dignity and respect.

Our key findings were

• There were effective systems to reduce the risk and spread of infection. We found that all the treatment rooms and equipment appeared clean.
• There were systems to check all equipment had been serviced regularly, including the compressor, autoclave, fire extinguishers, oxygen cylinder and the X-ray equipment.
• Dentists regularly assessed each patient’s gum health and took X-rays at appropriate intervals.
• The practice ensured staff maintained the necessary skills and competencies to support the needs of patients.
• The practice kept up to date with current guidelines.
• Patients were provided with information and were involved in decision making about the care and treatment they received. We observed staff to be were kind, caring, and worked hard to put patients at their ease.

There were areas where the provider could make improvements and should

• Review staff training and availability of equipment to manage medical emergencies giving due regard to guidelines issued by the Resuscitation Council (UK), and the General Dental Council (GDC) standards for the dental team.

• Review staff awareness of the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 and ensure all staff are aware of their responsibilities under the Act as it relates to their role

.

• Complete regular staff appraisals and complete any identified actions

• Review the governance systems to ensure that they are effective in assessing, monitoring and improving the quality and safety of the services provided.

• Carry out audits relating to the quality of X-ray images giving due regard to the recommendations set out in IR (ME) Regulations 2000.