Archived: J G Plummer & Associates New Costessey

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 19 July 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

J G Plummer and Associates is a partnership consisting of 11 practices in the Norfolk and Suffolk area. The New Costessey branch is a mixed dental practice providing primarily NHS treatment to adults and children. The practice is situated in a converted commercial property. The practice has five dental treatment rooms and a separate decontamination room for cleaning, sterilising and packing dental instruments. There is also a waiting area, reception area and staff room.

The practice is open from 8.30am to 5.00pm Mondays to Fridays and has16 dentists, including a specialist orthodontist, working there over the course of a week. The dentists are supported by appropriate numbers of dental nurses, receptionists and administrative staff.

One of the provider’s partners is the registered manager. A registered manager is a person who is registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. 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.

Before the inspection we sent comment cards to the practice for patients to complete to tell us about their experience of the practice. We received feedback from 14 patients. These provided a very positive view of the services the practice provides. Patients commented on the effectiveness of their treatment, the empathetic nature of staff and the high quality of customer care.

Our key findings were:

• We found that the dentists provided patient centred dental care in a relaxed and friendly environment.

• There were robust arrangements for identifying, recording and managing risks, issues and implementing mitigating actions.

• The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
• Strong and effective leadership was provided by the partnership and senior management team.

• Staff had been trained to handle emergencies and appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment was readily available in accordance with current guidelines.

• The practice appeared very clean and equipment was well maintained.

• Infection control procedures were robust and the practice followed published guidance.

• The was a nominated safeguarding lead and effective processes were in place for safeguarding adults and children.

• Staff reported incidents and kept records of these which the practice used for shared learning.

• Dentists provided dental care in accordance with current professional and National Institute for Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines.

• There was a ‘Happy Smiles’ club to deliver tailored preventive advice to children and their parents who were at a higher risk of dental disease.

• Patients could access treatment and urgent and emergency care when required.

• Staff had received training appropriate to their roles and were supported in their continued professional development by the practice owner.

• Staff we spoke with felt well supported by the partnership and senior management team and were committed to providing a quality service to their patients.

• Information from 14 completed Care Quality Commission (CQC) comment cards gave us a positive picture of a friendly, professional and high quality service.

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

• Review the availability of a hearing loop for patients who use hearing aids.

• Review the storage of patient care records and to confirm it is in accordance with current legislation and guidance.

• Review the security of prescription pads in the practice.