Ingleby House Dental Practice

We carried out this announced inspection on 20 July 2021 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 asked the following three questions:

• 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:

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 well-led?

We found this practice was providing well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Background

Ingleby House Dental Practice is in Cullompton and provides NHS and private dental care and treatment for adults and children.

There is one step to access the practice. The practice has a portable ramp to access the practice for people with limited mobility. Car parking spaces, including dedicated parking for people with disabilities, are available near the practice.

The dental team includes two dentists, two dental hygienists, one dental hygiene therapist, five dental nurses and one receptionist. 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 Ingleby House Dental Practice is the principal dentist.

During the inspection we spoke with the principal dentist, two dental nurses, a dental hygienist, a receptionist and an independent consultant assisting the business with quality assurance. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.

The practice is open: Monday to Friday 9am- 5pm.

Our key findings were:

• The practice appeared to be visibly clean and well-maintained.
• The provider had infection control procedures which reflected published guidance.
• Staff knew how to deal with emergencies. Appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment were available.
• Improvements could be made to systems to help them manage risk to patients, in particular with medicines management.
• The provider had safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
• The provider had staff recruitment procedures which reflected current legislation.
• The appointment system took account current Covid safety management protocols.
• Staff provided preventive care and supported patients to ensure better oral health.
• The provider had effective leadership and a culture of improvement. The provider had been operating for six months and was in the process of establishing effective and reliable quality assurance systems.
• 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 had information governance arrangements.

There were areas where the provider could make improvements. They should:

• Improve the security of NHS prescription pads in the practice.
• Implement audits for prescribing of antibiotic medicines taking into account the guidance provided by the Faculty of General Dental Practice.
• Implement practice protocols and procedures to ensure staff are up to date with relevant continuing professional development, specifically sepsis awareness.
• Improve the practice's protocols for medicines management. Specifically, regarding a Patient Group Directive for local anaesthetic use.