Updated 10 December 2019
We carried out this announced inspection on 14 October 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 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 that this practice was providing safe care in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Are services effective?
We found that this practice was providing effective care in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Are services caring?
We found that this practice was providing caring services in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Are services responsive?
We found that this practice was providing responsive care in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Are services well-led?
We found that this practice was providing well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Background
Heath Dental is in Dickens Heath, Solihull and provides NHS and private dental treatment to adults and children.
There is level access for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. Car parking spaces, including those for blue badge holders, are available near the practice.
The dental team includes four dentists, six dental nurses, including one trainee and a clinical manager, a decontamination technician, three dental hygiene therapists, two receptionists and a practice manager. The practice has four treatment rooms.
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.
At the time of inspection there was no registered manager in post as required as a condition of registration. A registered manager is legally responsible for the delivery of services for which the practice is registered.
On the day of inspection, we collected 59 CQC comment cards filled in by patients.
During the inspection we spoke with two dentists, three dental nurses, one dental hygiene therapist, one receptionist, the practice manager and the Head of Compliance from Dentex. Dentex are a corporate provider who have a partnership arrangement with Heath Dental. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.
The practice is open: Monday and Tuesday 8.30am to 6pm, Wednesday 7am to 6pm, Thursday 8.30am to 8pm and Friday 7am to 4pm.
Our key findings were:
- The provider had infection control procedures which reflected published guidance.
- The practice appeared clean and well maintained
- Staff knew how to deal with emergencies. Appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment were available. A new larger size of emergency oxygen was purchased following this inspection.
- The provider had systems to help them manage risk to patients and staff.
- The provider had suitable safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
- The provider had thorough staff recruitment procedures.
- Patients were positive about all aspects of the service the practice provided and spoke highly of the treatment they received, and of the staff who delivered it.
- 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 that staff were caring, kind and attentive.
- Staff provided preventive care and supported patients to ensure better oral health.
- The appointment system took account of patients’ needs.
- The provider had effective leadership and culture of continuous improvement.
- Staff felt involved and supported and worked well as a team.
- The provider asked staff and patients for feedback about the services they provided.
- The provider dealt with complaints positively and efficiently.
- The provider had suitable information governance arrangements.
There were areas where the provider could make improvements. They should:
- Take action to ensure all clinicians are adequately supported by a trained member of the dental team when treating patients in a dental setting taking into account the guidance issued by the General Dental Council.
- Take action to ensure audits of radiography are undertaken at regular intervals to improve the quality of the service. Practice should also ensure that, where appropriate, audits have documented learning points and the resulting improvements can be demonstrated.
- Improve the practice’s sharps procedures to ensure the practice is in compliance with the Health and Safety (Sharp Instruments in Healthcare) Regulations 2013.
- Improve the practice's systems for checking and monitoring equipment taking into account relevant guidance and ensure that all equipment is well maintained. In particular by ensuring that the practice’s surgical drill receives regular servicing and maintenance.
- Take action to ensure the regulated activities at Heath Dental Limited are managed by an individual who is registered as a manager.