Archived: Magpies Dental Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 3 November 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.

Magpies Dental Practice is a general dental practice in Horam, East Sussex, offering NHS and private dental treatment to adults and children.

The practice is situated in the centre of Horam. The practice has four dental treatment rooms, a decontamination room for the cleaning, sterilising and packing of dental instruments and a waiting area on each floor. The treatment rooms are located on the ground floor and first floor. The practice has disabled access with the use of a wheelchair ramp at the front of the building.

The practice is open Monday 9.00am to 5.30pm, Tuesday 8.30-4.30pm, Wednesday 8.00-5.00pm, Thursday 8.00 to 4.30pm and Friday 9.00am to 5.00pm. The practice offers evening appointments until 7.00pm on alternate Mondays. The practice does not offer Saturday appointments at present.

Magpies Dental Practice has three dentists, four dental nurses (one of whom also works on reception), two hygienists and a trainee receptionist. The clinical team are supported by a practice manager.

Before the inspection we sent CQC comments cards to the practice for patients to complete to tell us about their experience of the practice. We collected 9 completed cards. All of the comments cards provided a positive view of the service the practice provides. Patients commented that staff were professional, welcoming and courteous. Patients wrote that they were treated with care, compassion and respect. We also spoke with two patients during our inspection who were highly satisfied with the treatment and support they received at the practice.

Our key findings were:

• There were systems in place to reduce the risk and spread of infection. The practice was visibly clean and well maintained.
• The practice had effective systems in place to gain the comments and views of people who used the service.
• Patients were highly satisfied with the treatment they received and were complimentary about staff at the practice.
• Staff had received training appropriate to their roles and were supported in their continued professional development (CPD).
• We observed that staff showed a caring and attentive approach towards patients. All patients were recognised and greeted warmly on arrival at reception.
• The dental care records we looked at provided full and accurate details of the treatment and care which patients received.

• The practice had effective safeguarding processes in place and staff understood their responsibilities for safeguarding adults and children.
• Staff were proud of the practice and their team. Staff felt well supported and were committed to providing a quality service to their patients.

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

• Enrol all staff on formal Safeguarding training.
• Consider Mental Capacity Act training for all staff at the practice.
• Implement a sedation protocol at the practice.
• Consider the use of a second nurse during sedation procedures.
• Record patient’s ASA (American Society of Anaesthesiologists) status as part of the assessment process for sedation procedures. ASA is a grading system which is used to classify patient’s physical health prior to surgery to determine possible risk factors.