• Dentist
  • Dentist

Market House Dental Surgery

Market Place, Chalfont St Peter, Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, SL9 9HA

Provided and run by:
Dr. Colin Harris

All Inspections

2 October 2023

During an inspection looking at part of the service

We undertook a follow up focused inspection of Market House Dental Surgery on
2 October 2023. This inspection was carried out to review 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 inspection was led by a CQC inspector who was supported remotely by a specialist dental advisor.

We had previously undertaken a comprehensive inspection of Market House Dental Surgery on 23 March 2023 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 well-led care and was in breach of regulation 17 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 Market House Dental Surgery on our website www.cqc.org.uk.

When 1 or more of the 5 questions are not met we require the service to make improvements and send us an action plan. We then inspect again after a reasonable interval, focusing on the areas where improvement were required.

As part of this inspection, we asked:

• Is it well-led?

Our findings were:

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 breach we found at our inspection on 23 March 2023

Background

Market House Dental Surgery is in Chalfont St Peter 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, including dedicated parking for disabled people, are available near the practice. The practice has made reasonable adjustments to support patients with access requirements.

The dental team includes 1 dentist, 1 dental nurse, 1 dental hygienist and 1 receptionist. The practice has 1 treatment room but shares the practice building with a second dentist. Both dentists have a cost sharing agreement for communal areas and services.

During the inspection we spoke with the principal dentist.

We looked at practice policies, procedures and other records to assess how the service is managed.

The practice is open:

  • Monday – Thursday 8.30am to 6.00pm
  • Friday 8.30am to 1.00pm

23 May 2023

During a routine inspection

We carried out this announced comprehensive inspection on 23 May 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 provider’s infection control procedures were not operated effectively.
  • The appointment system worked efficiently to respond to patients’ needs.
  • The provider did not operate effective 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’s staff recruitment procedures were not operated effectively.
  • Staff provided preventive care and supported patients to ensure better oral health.
  • Patients were treated with dignity and respect. Staff took care to protect patients’ privacy and personal information.
  • Staff knew how to deal with medical emergencies, but improvement was needed to ensure emergency equipment was appropriate.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Improvements were needed to ensure the provider could demonstrate effective leadership and a culture of continuous improvement.

Background

Market House Dental Surgery is in Chalfont St Peter 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, including dedicated parking for disabled people, are available near the practice. The practice has made reasonable adjustments to support patients with access requirements.

The dental team includes 1 dentist, 1 dental nurse, 1 dental hygienist and 1 receptionist. The practice has 1 treatment room but shares the practice building with a second dentist. Both dentists have a cost share agreement for communal areas and services.

During the inspection we spoke with the principal dentist, a dental nurse and the receptionist.

We looked at practice policies, procedures and other records to assess how the service is managed.

The practice is open:

  • Monday – Thursday 8.30am to 6.00pm
  • Friday 8.30am to 1.00pm

We identified regulations the provider was not complying with. They must:

  • Establish effective systems and processes to ensure good governance in accordance with the fundamental standards of care.

Full details of the regulation the provider was not meeting are at the end of this report.

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

  • Implement audits for prescribing of antibiotic medicines taking into account the guidance provided by the College of General Dentistry.
  • Take action to ensure the clinicians take into account the guidance provided by the College of General Dentistry when completing dental care records.
  • Take action to ensure the availability of an interpreter service for patients who do not speak English as their first language.

18 February 2013

During a routine inspection

We spoke with six people during our visit. People told us "the dentist was very thorough when explaining treatment... he provided me with the options and gave me time to think before deciding." Another person told us "the dentist has been absolutely wonderful to my kids...he always explains in detail and is very nice and kind".

People's needs were assessed and care and treatment was planned and delivered in line with their individual treatment plan. People told us "my dentist always discusses with me the treatment plan and the options available to me before any treatment starts" and another person told us "the dentist is very thorough when he explains the process to both my kids and myself." A new patient who had recently joined the practice told us "I made the best decision to come to this practice...nothing is missed, the dentist discussed every single option available to us."

People we spoke with, during our visit, mentioned that they were confident that they received safe treatment at the practice and had no concerns.

People we spoke with told us that they would feel confident to make a complaint if they needed to. Comments included "I have been coming here for 20 years and I never had the need to make a complaint" another person told us "I use the practice for my kids...they love coming here so I have had no reason to complain."