Updated 21 December 2017
We carried out this announced inspection on 28 November 2017 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
Old Market Dental Practice is in Droitwich and provides private treatment to patients of all ages.
The practice is currently not suitable for people who use wheelchairs as there is a small step leading into the practice and the dental treatment room is located on the first floor accessed by stairs. The ground floor of the practice consists of a reception area, a waiting room and a patient toilet. On the first floor there is a staff room / office, a toilet and one dental treatment room with an area for decontamination for the cleaning, sterilising and packing of dental instruments. Car parking spaces, including spaces for blue badge holders, are available in the pay and display car park which is a short walk from the practice.
The dental team includes the principal dentist, two dental nurses who also work in reception and a practice advisor.
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.
On the day of inspection we collected seven CQC comment cards filled in by patients. This information gave us a positive view of the practice.
During the inspection we spoke with the principal dentist, two dental nurses and the practice advisor. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.
The practice is open:
Monday: 9.30am – 5.30pm
Tuesday: 8.30am – 5pm
Wednesday: 9am – 5pm
Thursday: 9.30am – 5.30pm
Friday: 9am – 1pm (one per month)
Our key findings were:
- The practice was clean and well maintained.
- The practice had infection control procedures which reflected published guidance.
- Staff knew how to deal with emergencies. Appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment were available.
- The practice had systems to help them manage risk.
- The practice had suitable safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding adults and children. Safeguarding flow charts containing local authority contact details were kept on file.
- The practice had thorough staff recruitment procedures.
- The principal dentist provided dental care in accordance with current professional and National Institute for Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines.
- Staff treated patients with dignity and respect and took care to protect their privacy and personal information.
- The appointment system met patients’ needs.
- The practice had effective leadership. Staff felt involved and supported and worked well as a team.
- The practice asked staff and patients for feedback about the services they provided.
- The practice dealt with complaints positively and efficiently.
- Training and development was at the forefront in this practice due to the practice advisor being an accredited trainer and assessor.