Littlemoor Dental

We carried out this announced inspection on 4 February 2020 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 Care Quality Commission, (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 this practice was providing safe care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Are services effective?

We found this practice was providing effective care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Are services caring?

We found this practice was providing caring services in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Are services responsive?

We found this practice was providing responsive care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Are services well-led?

We found this practice was providing well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Background

Littlemoor Dental is in Chesterfield, it provides private dental treatment to adults and children.

There is level access in to the practice for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. The practice has a small on-site car park, or there are car parking spaces, including dedicated parking for people with disabilities available near the practice.

The dental team includes two dentists, three dental nurses, including the practice manager and a receptionist. The practice has three treatment rooms, all of which are located on the ground floor. The practice has centralised decontamination facilities.

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.

On the day of inspection, we collected 14 CQC comment cards filled in by patients. Feedback received about the practice was positive.

During the inspection we spoke with two dentists, two dental nurses including the practice manager and one receptionist. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.

The practice is open: Monday and Tuesday: from 8.15am to 5pm, Wednesday: from 8.15am to 12.30pm, Thursday: from 8.15am to 5pm and Friday: from 8.15am to 12.30pm.

Our key findings were:

• The practice appeared to be visibly clean and well-maintained.
• The provider had infection control procedures which reflected published guidance.
• Staff knew how to deal with emergencies. Appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment were available.
• Dentists were not routinely grading, justifying or reporting on the radiographs they were taking.
• The provider had safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
• The provider had staff recruitment procedures which reflected current legislation.
• The clinical staff provided patients’ care and treatment in line with current guidelines.
• Improvements could be made to record keeping in respect of dental care records. In particular the documentation of consent and oral hygiene advice.
• Staff treated patients with dignity and respect and took care to protect their privacy and personal information.
• The practice did not have a whistleblowing policy for staff.
• The appointment system took account of patients’ needs.
• Staff felt involved and supported and worked as a team.
• The provider asked staff and patients for feedback about the services they provided.
• The provider dealt with complaints positively and efficiently.
• The provider had information governance arrangements.

There were areas where the provider could make improvements. They should:

• Implement audits for prescribing of antibiotic medicines taking into account the guidance provided by the Faculty of General Dental Practice.
• Take action to ensure clinicians record in the patients’ dental care records or elsewhere the reason for taking X-rays, a report on the findings and the quality of the image in compliance with Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2017 and taking into account the guidance for Dental Practitioners on the Safe Use of X-ray Equipment.
• Implement an effective system for monitoring and recording the refrigerator temperature to ensure that medicines and dental care products are being stored in line with the manufacturer’s guidance.
• Take action to ensure the clinicians take into account the guidance provided by the Faculty of General Dental Practice when completing dental care records.