Updated 18 August 2021
We undertook a follow up desk-based review of Mouthmatters on 20 July 2021. This was carried out to review in detail the actions taken by the registered provider to improve the quality of care and to confirm that the practice was now meeting legal requirements.
The review was led by a CQC inspector who had remote access to a specialist dental adviser.
We undertook a comprehensive inspection of Mouthmatters on 21 February 2020 under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. We found the registered provider was not providing safe or well led care and was in breach of regulations 17, 18 and 19 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. You can read our report of that inspection by selecting the 'all reports' link for Mouthmatters on our website www.cqc.org.uk.
As part of this review we asked:
• Is it safe?
• Is it well-led?
When one or more of the five questions are not met we require the service to make improvements. We then inspect or review again after a reasonable interval, focusing on the areas where improvement was required. The provider sent evidence to us of the improvements made in July 2020. The review of the information and evidence submitted was delayed due to CQC processes during COVID-19.
Our findings were:
Are services safe?
We found this practice was providing safe care in accordance with the relevant regulations.
The provider had made improvements in relation to the regulatory breaches we found at our inspection on 21 February 2020.
Are services well-led?
We found this practice was providing well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations.
The provider had made improvements in relation to the regulatory breaches we found at our inspection on 21 February 2020.
Background
Mouthmatters is near the centre of Chester. The practice provides private dental care for adults and children. Visiting dentists provide advanced gum disease and root canal treatments, and dental implants at the practice.
The provider has a portable ramp available to facilitate access to the practice for people who use wheelchairs and for people with pushchairs.
Car parking is available near the practice.
The dental team includes two dentists, two dental hygienists and a dental nurse. The dental team is supported by a practice manager. The practice has three treatment rooms.
The practice is owned by an individual who is the principal dentist there. They have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated regulations about how the practice is run.
During the review we spoke with 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 Friday 8.30am to 5.00pm
Our key findings were:
- Checks were introduced to ensure appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment were available.
- The practice implemented systems to obtain evidence of up to date training for all staff and maintain oversight of this.
- Recruitment processes were improved. A checklist was used to ensure essential checks were carried out for new staff members.
- There were processes for staff to report significant events and incidents.
- Systems to audit infection prevention and control and radiographic quality were in place.