The Care Quality Commission
  • Dentist
  • Dentist

Archived: St Owen Dental Studio

36a St Owen Street, Hereford, Herefordshire, HR1 2PR (01432) 272084

Provided and run by:
Dr. Hanna Kotlinska-Staszkowska

All Inspections

11 April 2014

During a routine inspection

When we did our last inspection on 13 January 2014 we found that the practice was clean. The people we spoke with told us they thought standards of cleanliness were very good. Correct arrangements for the cleaning, sterilising and storing of instruments were in place. We found that the arrangements for testing and maintaining the equipment used for this needed to be improved. During this inspection we saw that the dentist had arranged for equipment to be serviced and in some cases had bought new equipment. They were also making sure that the correct tests were being done to check that equipment was working effectively. The steps the dentist had taken would help to make the infection control arrangements more effective.

At our last inspection we identified that arrangements for monitoring the quality of the service needed to be developed. During this inspection we saw that the dentist was now using surveys to ask for people's views about the practice. They had also spoken with a nearby dental practice who had agreed to provide support by auditing their treatment records. The dentist told us that they were hoping that the practice manager from the other practice would also assist them to improve the overall management of the practice. The steps the dentist had taken showed that they wanted to be responsive to their patients and to make sure the practice was well led.

13 January 2014

During a routine inspection

We observed three people's appointments and spoke with five people by telephone. We saw that the dentist was friendly and put people at their ease. People told us they liked the dentist a lot. One person said, 'Oh my word yes, she's wonderful' and another told us, 'I'm very pleased, she's very good'.

People told us that the dentist explained their treatment and discussed things with them. One person gave us an example of how they had been referred for specialist treatment that had greatly improved their oral health.

There was medication, a defibrillator and oxygen available for certain medical emergencies.

The practice was clean and people we spoke with told us they thought standards of cleanliness were very good. Correct arrangements for the cleaning, sterilising and storing of instruments were in place. We found that the arrangements for testing and maintaining the equipment used for this needed to be improved.

The practice had arrangements for assessing and reducing any risks to people using the service, or staff. There was an improvement plan for developing the quality of the practice environment and equipment. Some of the people we spoke with told us that the dentist had upgraded the practice when they took over four years ago. We identified that arrangements for monitoring the quality of the service needed to be developed.