Archived: Canterbury Dental Care

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 20 January 2016 to ask the practice the following key questions; Are services safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led?

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

Canterbury Dental Care is situated in the Fulwood area of Sheffield, South Yorkshire. It offers a mix of NHS and private dental services to adults and NHS dental services to children . The services include preventative advice and treatment and routine restorative dental care.

The practice has two surgeries (one of which is not used for clinical activity), a decontamination room, a waiting area, a reception area and accessible toilet facilities. All the facilities are on the ground floor of the premises and there is wheelchair access.

There are two dentists, two dental nurses (who also share reception duties) and a practice manager.

The opening hours are Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 8-30am to 5-30pm and Thursday and Friday from 8-30am to 12-30pm.

The owner of the practice is the registered provider for the practice. Registered persons 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 16 patients provided feedback. The patients were positive about the care and treatment they received at the practice. They told us they were treated with dignity and respect in a clean and tidy environment, did not feel rushed, that they were involved in treatment decisions and that the staff were approachable, professional and helpful.

Our key findings were:

• The practice was clean and hygienic.
• There was an effective recruitment process in place.
• Staff were appropriately qualified and received training appropriate to their roles.
• The practice had systems in place to assess and manage risks to patients and staff including infection prevention, control and health and safety and the management of medical emergencies.
• Oral health advice and treatment were provided in-line with the ‘Delivering Better Oral Health’ toolkit (DBOH).
• Patients were treated with care, respect and dignity.
• Patients were able to make appointments in a timely manner at a time which suited them.
• There were clearly defined leadership roles within the practice and staff told us that they felt supported, appreciated and comfortable to raise concerns or make suggestions.

There were areas where the provider could make improvements and should:

• Review the practice’s procedure for scrubbing of dirty instruments so that they are not scrubbed under running water.
• Conduct the self- assessment audit relating to the Department of Health’s guidance on decontamination in dental services every six months.
• Review the practice’s policy on the bagging of dental hand pieces.
• Review the practice’s protocols and procedures for the taking of X-rays giving due regard to the guidance from the Faculty of General Dental Practice: Selection Criteria for Dental Radiography.
• Document in the dental care records discussion which have taken place with regards to treatment options.
• Add details of other organisations to the complaints procedure displayed in the waiting room.