Background to this inspection
Updated
6 July 2016
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the practice was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008.
We carried out an announced, comprehensive inspection on 16 June 2016. The inspection was carried out by a CQC inspector and a dental specialist advisor. Prior to the inspection we reviewed information submitted by the provider.
During our inspection visit, we reviewed policy documents and staff records. We spoke with four members of staff, which included two associate dentists, one trainee dental nurse and a dental nurse who was also the receptionist. We conducted a tour of the practice and looked at the storage arrangements for emergency medicines and equipment. We reviewed the practice’s decontamination procedures of dental instruments and also observed staff interacting with patients in the waiting area.
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 therefore formed the framework for the areas we looked at during the inspection.
Updated
6 July 2016
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 16 June 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
Cricklewood Dental Practice is located in the London Borough of Brent and provides NHS and private dental treatment to both adults and children. The premises are on the first floor, above a retail premises, and consist of two treatment rooms, a reception area and a waiting room. The practice is open Monday and Friday 9:30am – 9:00pm, Tuesday 10:00am – 9:30pm, Wednesday and Thursday 10:00am – 8:30pm and Saturday 10:00am – 6:00pm.
The staff consists of the principal dentist, four associate dentists, two trainee dental nurses and a dental nurse who is also the receptionist.
The principal dentist is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) as an individual. 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.
We reviewed 25 CQC comment cards, the practice patient satisfaction survey and the NHS Friends and Family test comment cards. Patients were positive about the service. They were complimentary about the friendly and caring attitude of the staff.
The inspection took place over one day and was carried out by a CQC inspector and a dental specialist advisor
Our key findings were
- We found the dentists regularly assessed each patient’s gum health and took X-rays at appropriate intervals.
- Patients were involved in their care and treatment planning so they could make informed decisions.
- There were effective processes in place to reduce and minimise the risk and spread of infection.
- The practice had effective safeguarding processes in place and staff understood their responsibilities for safeguarding adults and child protection.
- Equipment, such as the autoclave (steriliser), fire extinguishers, and X-ray equipment had all been checked for effectiveness and had been regularly serviced.
- Patients were treated with dignity and respect and confidentiality was maintained.
- The practice had implemented clear procedures for managing comments, concerns or complaints.
- Patients indicated that they found the team to be efficient, professional, caring and reassuring.
- Patients had good access to appointments, including emergency appointments, which were available on the same day
- Leadership structures were clear and there were processes in place for dissemination of information and feedback to staff.
- Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned in line with current guidance such as from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).
There were areas where the provider could make improvements and should:
- There were appropriate equipment and access to emergency drugs to enable the practice to respond to medical emergencies. Staff knew where equipment was stored.
- Review the practice’s protocol for staffs training in safeguarding ensuring it covers both children and adults and all staff are trained to an appropriate level for their role and aware of their responsibilities.
- Review the practice’s audit protocols of various aspects of the service, such as radiography and dental care records at regular intervals to help improve the quality of service. Practice should also check all audits have documented learning points and the resulting improvements can be demonstrated.
- Review its complaint handling procedures and establish an accessible system for identifying, receiving, recording, handling and responding to complaints by patients.
- Review the training, learning and development needs of individual staff members and have an effective process established for the on-going assessment and supervision of all staff.
- Review the practice’s arrangements for receiving and responding to patient safety alerts, recalls and rapid response reports issued from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and through the Central Alerting System (CAS), as well as from other relevant bodies such as, Public Health England (PHE).