Bletchley Dental Practice

We carried out this announced comprehensive inspection on 28 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 that reflected local processes and 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.
• Improvements could be made to ensure the security of NHS prescriptions.
• 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, however improvements could be made to the systems 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

Bletchley Dental practice is in Bletchley, Milton Keynes and provides NHS and private dental care and treatment for adults and children.

There is step free access to the practice for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. Car parking spaces are available near the practice. The practice has made reasonable adjustments to support patients with access requirements.

The dental team includes 9 dentists, 1 qualified dental nurse with additional practice manager responsibilities, 7 trainee dental nurses, 3 dental hygienists and 1 receptionist. The practice has 4 treatment rooms.

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

The practice is open:

Monday from 8am to 4:30pm

Tuesday from 8am to 4:30pm

Wednesday from 8am to 6pm

Thursday from 8am to 4:30pm

Friday from 8am to 4:30pm

Saturday from 8:30am to 1pm

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

• Improve the practice's waste handling protocols to ensure waste is segregated and disposed of in compliance with the relevant regulations, and taking into account the guidance issued in the Health Technical Memorandum 07-01.
• Improve the security of NHS prescription pads in the practice and ensure there are systems in place to track and monitor their use. Improve prescribing of antibiotic medicines taking into account the guidance provided by the College of General Dentistry.
• Improve the practice’s sharps procedures to ensure the practice is in compliance with the Health and Safety (Sharp Instruments in Healthcare) Regulations 2013.
• Implement an effective system for receiving and responding to patient safety alerts, recalls and rapid response reports issued by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, the Central Alerting System and other relevant bodies, such as Public Health England.