Lenham Dental Surgery

We carried out this announced comprehensive inspection on 06 June 2023 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 practice 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 advisor.

To get to the heart of patients’ experiences of care and treatment, we always ask the following 5 questions:

• Is it safe?
• Is it effective?
• Is it caring?
• Is it responsive to people’s needs?
• Is it well-led?

These questions form the framework for the areas we look at during the inspection.

Our findings were:

• The dental clinic appeared clean and well-maintained.
• The practice had infection control procedures which reflected published guidance.
• Staff knew how to deal with medical emergencies. Appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment were available.
• The practice had systems to manage risks for patients, staff, equipment and the premises.
• Safeguarding processes were in place and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
• The practice had staff recruitment procedures which reflected current legislation.
• Clinical staff provided patients’ care and treatment in line with current guidelines.
• Patients were treated with dignity and respect. Staff took care to protect patients’ privacy and personal information.
• Staff provided preventive care and supported patients to ensure better oral health.
• The appointment system worked efficiently to respond to patients’ needs.
• The frequency of appointments was agreed between the dentist and the patient, giving due regard to National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines.
• There was effective leadership and a culture of continuous improvement.
• Staff felt involved, supported and worked as a team.
• Staff and patients were asked for feedback about the services provided.
• Complaints were dealt with positively and efficiently.
• The practice had information governance arrangements.

Background

Lenham Dental Surgery is in Lenham Kent and provides NHS and private dental care treatment for adults and children.

Access to the practice for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs is restricted as the building is a grade 2 listed. This has restricted any remodelling of the practice. Car parking spaces, including dedicated parking for disabled people, are available near the practice. The practice has made reasonable adjustments to support patients with access requirements.

The dental team includes 4 dentists, 6 registered dental nurses, a trainee dental nurse, a dental hygienist, a practice manager and 2 receptionists. The practice has 4 treatment rooms.

During the inspection we spoke with 2 dentists, 3 registered dental nurses and the practice manager. We looked at practice policies, procedures and other records to assess how the service is managed.

The practice is open:

• Monday to Friday 8.45am to 5.30pm
• Saturday by appointment

We noted innovative approaches to providing person centred care. For example, the use of an external trainer to deliver positive dental experiences for patients and coping mechanisms for staff in delivering care. The practice also used the latest computer softwear to ensure clinical records were detailed and in line with current guidance. The computer system also allowed personalised dental information to be sent to patients with relevant links to health websites. The practice also encouraged skill mix to ensure effective dental care.

The practice had taken steps to improve environmental sustainability. For example, the practice had adopted a mainly digital workflow to reduce paper waste. Waste generated by the practice was segregated and recycled where possible.