Updated 13 July 2021
We carried out this announced focussed inspection 23 June 2021 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 asked the following three questions:
• Is it safe?
• Is it effective?
• 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 well-led?
We found this practice was providing well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Background
Willow Street Dental Practice is in Oswestry in Shropshire and provides NHS and private dental care and treatment for adults and children.
There is level access to the practice through a side door for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. Car parking spaces, including dedicated parking for people with disabilities, are available near the practice.
The dental team includes two dentists, two dental hygienists, six dental nurses including the practice manager and four receptionists. The practice has four treatment rooms, one of which is located on the ground floor.
The practice is owned by a partnership 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 Willow Street Dental Practice is the principal dentist.
During the inspection we spoke with two dentists, four dental nurses, and one receptionist. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.
The practice is open:
Monday, Wednesday and Thursday: 8:30am to 5pm
Tuesday: 8:30am to 4:30pm
Friday: 8am to 12:30pm
Our key findings were:
- 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 with the exception of buccal midazolam and a child size self inflating bag.
- 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 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.
- The practice did not operate its own monitoring system for referrals.
- Staff provided preventive care and supported patients to ensure better oral health.
- The provider had effective leadership and a culture of continuous improvement. However, improvement could be made to the governance arrangements.
- Staff felt involved and supported and worked as a team.
There were areas where the provider could make improvements. They should:
- Take action to ensure the availability of equipment and medicines in the practice to manage medical emergencies taking into account the guidelines issued by the Resuscitation Council (UK) and the General Dental Council and the ‘British National Formulary’ and the General Dental Council.
- Implement a system to ensure patient referrals to other dental or health care professionals are centrally monitored to ensure they are received in a timely manner and not lost.
- Take action to ensure audits of are undertaken at regular intervals to improve the quality of the service. The practice should also ensure that, where appropriate, audits have documented learning points and the resulting improvements can be demonstrated.