Background to this inspection
Updated
27 June 2016
We carried out an announced, comprehensive inspection on 29th March 2016. The inspection took place over one day.
The inspection was led by a CQC inspector. They were accompanied by a dental specialist advisor.
We reviewed information received from the provider prior to the inspection. We also informed the local Healthwatch and NHS England. We did not receive any information from Healthwatch, however, NHS England raised some concerns about preventive treatments for children.
During our inspection visit, we reviewed policy documents and dental care records. We spoke with two dental nurses, three dentists and three patients. We conducted a tour of the practice and looked at the storage arrangements for emergency medicines and equipment. We observed a nurse carrying out decontamination procedures of dental instruments and also observed staff interacting with patients in the waiting area.
Twenty three patients provided feedback about the service by completing comment cards. Patients were positive about the care they received from the practice. They were complimentary about the friendly, professional, helpful and caring attitude of the dental staff. We spoke with three patients who said that the staff were caring and friendly and listened to what they had to say. They said it was easy to get an appointment including emergency appointments. Patients told us that the surgery was clean and hygienic.
To get to the heart of patients’ experiences of care and treatment, we always ask the following five questions:
These questions therefore formed the framework for the areas we looked at during the inspection.
Updated
27 June 2016
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 29th March 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
Oldland Dental Practice is located in the High Street in Oldland Common and provides mainly NHS treatment to adults and children and some private treatment. The practice consists of four treatment rooms, toilet facilities for patients and staff, a reception/waiting area, a second waiting area and a staff room. The practice offers routine examinations and treatment. There are five dentists and a hygienist.
The practice opening hours are:
9.00 to 18.00 on Monday
9.00 to 18.00 on Tuesday
9.00 to 17.00 on Wednesday
9.00 to 19.30 on Thursday
9.00 to 16.00 on Friday
There is an on-call dentist rota for emergencies outside these times.
We carried out an announced, comprehensive inspection on 29th March 2016. The inspection took place over one day. The inspection was led by a CQC inspector. They were accompanied by a dental specialist advisor.
Before the inspection we looked at the NHS Choices website. There were five reviews in the past 12 months and all gave five stars. There was also information about the friends and family test. There were 33 responses and all said that they would recommend the practice to friends and family.
For this inspection 23 patients provided feedback to us about the service through CQC comment cards. We also spoke with three patients. All these patients were positive about the care they received from the practice. They were complimentary about the service offered which they said was good and very good. They told us that staff were professional, caring, helpful and friendly. Patients told us that the practice was clean and hygienic. We received no negative comments.
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.
Our key findings were:
• Safe systems and processes were in place, including a lead professional for safeguarding and infection control.
• Staff recruitment policies were appropriate and most of the relevant checks were completed. Staff received relevant training.
• Risk assessments were in place and they were regularly reviewed.
• The clinical equipment in the practice was appropriately maintained. The practice appeared visibly clean throughout.
•The process for decontamination of instruments followed relevant guidance.
• The practice maintained appropriate dental care records and these were updated.
• Patients were provided with health promotion advice to promote good oral care.
• Written consent was obtained for dental treatment.
• The dentists were not all aware of the process to follow when a person lacked capacity to give consent to treatment.
• Feedback that we received from patients was positive. Patients said that they received a caring and effective service.
• There were governance systems at the practice such as systems for auditing patient records, infection control and radiographs.
There were areas where the provider could make improvements and should:
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Review the process for following up incidents when a patient is harmed as a result of their care and develop guidance for staff about the duty of candour.
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Review the process of recruitment of staff to make sure written references are obtained in line with current guidance about recruitment.