Updated 1 October 2018
We carried out this announced inspection on 6 September 2018 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.
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
Bennisons dental practice is in Brandon in county Durham, and provides NHS and some private dental treatment to adults and children.
There is level access for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. Public car parking and public transport facilities are available near the practice.
The dental team includes seven dentists (one of whom is a trainee), seven dental nurses (two of whom are trainees), one dental hygienist and a practice manager. The practice has five 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 inspection we spoke with three dentists (including the principal dentist), four dental nurses and the practice manager. We looked at the practice’s policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.
The practice is open: Monday 9am-5pm, Tuesday and Thursday 9-7:30pm, Wednesday and Friday 9am-5pm, and Saturday 9am-1pm.
Our key findings were:
- The practice was clean and well maintained.
- The provider had infection control procedures which overall reflected published guidance, with the exception of soil tests for decontamination equipment.
- Staff knew how to deal with emergencies. Appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment were available with the exception of a range of different sized masks. Storage of glucagon needed review.
- The practice had systems to help them manage risk to patients and staff.
- The practice staff had suitable safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
- The provider had thorough staff recruitment procedures.
- 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.
- The provider was providing preventive care and supporting patients to ensure better oral health.
- The appointment system met patients’ needs.
- The practice had effective leadership and culture of continuous improvement.
- The practice supported local schools by providing oral health education to children.
- The practice had extended opening times both evenings and weekends to support patients with more flexible appointment times.
- 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 provider dealt with complaints positively and efficiently.
- The provider had suitable information governance arrangements.
There were areas where the provider should make improvements.
- Review the suitability of the premises and ensure all areas are fit for the purpose for which they are being used, in particular electrical fixed wiring in the practice.
- Review the practice’s infection control procedures. In particular the provision of a thermometer to ensure appropriate water temperatures during manual cleaning and follow manufactures guidance for the soil tests for the ultrasonic bath and washer disinfector.