Sawtry Dental Surgery

We carried out this announced comprehensive inspection on 9 May 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.
• Safeguarding processes were in place and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
• Equipment was maintained to ensure its safe operation.
• Staff provided preventive care and supported patients to ensure better oral health.
• Patients were treated with dignity and respect. Staff took care to protect patients’ privacy and personal information.
• 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.
• Recruitment procedures required improvement to ensure that appropriate DBS checks and references were obtained for staff prior to their appointment.
• The results of preoperative checks and health baseline markers were not always recorded for patients undergoing sedation.

Background

Sawtry Dental Surgery provides private dental care and treatment for adults and children. In addition to general dentistry, the practice also offers dental implants and sedation services.

The practice has made reasonable adjustments to support patients with access requirements including level access at the back of the building and ground floor treatment rooms.

The dental team includes 2 dentists, a dental hygienist, a dental therapist and 5 dental nurses.

During the inspection we spoke with 1 dentist, 1 dental hygienist and 2 dental nurses. We looked at practice policies, procedures and other records to assess how the service is managed.

The practice is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 8.30am to 5pm; on Tuesdays from 8.30am to 7.30pm, and on Fridays from 8.30am to 1.30pm.

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

• Implement an effective recruitment procedure to ensure that appropriate checks are completed prior to new staff commencing employment at the practice.

• Improve the practice’s infection control procedures and protocols taking into account the guidelines issued by the Department of Health in the Health Technical Memorandum 01-05: Decontamination in primary care dental practices. In particular, the testing of the practice’s autoclave and the removal of limescale build up in sink overflows.

• Ensure all sedation procedures are in line with guidelines published by The Intercollegiate Advisory Committee on Sedation in Dentistry in the document 'Standards for Conscious Sedation in the Provision of Dental Care 2015'. Ensure that patients’ pre-operative risk classification is recorded and that their blood pressure, oxygen saturation and heart rate, is taken as part of the assessment process to inform their suitability for sedation.

• Improve and develop staff awareness of the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and ensure that staff obtain adequate written patient consent where required.

• Improve the practice's risk management systems for monitoring and mitigating identified hazards.