Updated 13 January 2020
We carried out this announced inspection on 3 December 2019 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 always ask the following five 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:
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 caring?
We found this practice was providing caring services in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Are services responsive?
We found this practice was providing responsive 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
Modwena House is in Burton-on-Trent and provides NHS and private orthodontic treatment for adults and children. Orthodontics is a specialist dental service concerned with the alignment of the teeth and jaws to improve the appearance of the face, the teeth and their function. Orthodontic treatment is provided under NHS referral for children except when the problem falls below the accepted eligibility criteria for NHS treatment. Private treatment is available for these patients as well as adults who require orthodontic treatment.
There is level access to the practice for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. Car parking spaces, including dedicated parking for people with disabilities, are available in pay and display car parks near to the practice.
The dental team includes three specialist orthodontists, two dentists, two orthodontic therapists, 10 dental nurses (two of whom are trainees), four receptionists (one of whom is the patient treatment coordinator) and a practice manager. The practice has three treatment rooms and four dental chairs.
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 Modwena House is the principal orthodontist.
On the day of inspection, we collected 28 CQC comment cards filled in by patients and spoke with two patients.
During the inspection we spoke with two specialist orthodontists, one orthodontic therapist, three dental nurses, one receptionist and the practice manager. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.
The practice is open:
Monday to Thursday from 8.30am to 4.30pm.
Friday from 8.30am to 3pm.
Our key findings were:
- Effective leadership was provided by the principal orthodontist and an empowered practice manager.
- Staff we spoke with felt well supported by the principal orthodontist and practice manager and were committed to providing a quality service to their patients.
- 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.
- The provider had systems to help them manage risk to patients and staff. However, systems pertaining to operator Dental Cone Beam (Computed Tomography) training and risk assessments for substances hazardous to health were not effective.
- 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 clinical staff provided patients’ care and treatment in line with current guidelines.
- Staff treated patients with dignity and respect and took care to protect their privacy and personal information.
- Staff provided preventive care and supported patients to ensure better oral health.
- The appointment system took account of patients’ needs.
- The provider asked staff and patients for feedback about the services they provided.
- The provider dealt with complaints positively and efficiently.
- The provider had information governance arrangements.
There were areas where the provider could make improvements. They should:
- Improve the practice's systems for assessing, monitoring and mitigating the various risks arising from the undertaking of the regulated activities. In particular ensuring that measures are put in place to conform with IRMER regulations for the safe use of the Dental Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) and guidance given in the HPA document: Guidelines on The Safe Use of CBCT Equipment is followed.
- Improve the practice's processes for the control and storage of substances hazardous to health identified by the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002, to ensure risk assessments are undertaken for all materials and substances.