Updated 25 March 2020
We carried out this announced inspection on 27 February 2020 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
Mydentist - Flagstaff Road - Colchester is in Colchester, Essex and provides NHS and private implants alongside dental care and treatment under sedation for adults.
There is level and ramp access to the practice for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. Car parking spaces dedicated for sedation patients’ escorts are available outside the practice. Car parking spaces are also available in local pay and display car parks.
The dental team includes two dentists, six dental nurses, one receptionist and one practice manager. The practice has two treatment rooms, recovery room, a decontamination room and an orthopantomogram (OPG) room where patient health checks were recorded before surgery.
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 Mydentist - Flagstaff Road - Colchester is the practice manager.
On the day of inspection, we collected 14 CQC comment cards filled in by patients.
During the inspection we spoke with two dentists, two dental nurses, one receptionist and the practice manager. In addition, we spoke with the corporate Lead Regulatory Officer and the Regulatory Officer for the South East who attended the inspection to support the practice manager who had joined the practice in May 2019. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.
The practice is open: Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm.
Our key findings were:
- Strong and effective leadership was provided by an empowered practice manager. Staff felt involved and supported and worked well as a team.
- The practice appeared to be visibly clean and well-maintained. Patients commented that the practice was clean and always appeared hygienic.
- 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.
- The provider had safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
- The practice had an established process for reporting and recording significant events and accidents to ensure they investigated these and took remedial action.
- 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. Patients commented staff were professional and friendly.
- Staff had received training appropriate to their roles and were supported in their continuing professional development by the practice manager.
- The appointment system took account of patients’ needs. The practice ran a cancellation policy to offer short notice appointments to patients when they became available.
- 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.