Updated 26 September 2019
We carried out this announced inspection on 26 July 2019 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 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.
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
Buckle & McGrath – Hilltop Court is located in the village of Thorton Hough. The practice provides private dental care for adults and children.
There is level access to facilitate entrance to the practice for people who use wheelchairs and for people with pushchairs. Car parking is available outside the practice.
The dental team includes the principal dentist, two associate dentists, a specialist orthodontist, a visiting dentist who provides implants, a dental hygiene therapist, a dental hygienist, and four dental nurses, two of whom are trainees. The dental team is supported by a practice manager. The practice has three treatment rooms.
The practice is owned by a company and as a condition of registration must have a person registered with the Care Quality Commission as the registered manager. Registered managers have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated regulations about how the practice is run. The registered manager at Buckle & McGrath – Hilltop Court is the practice manager.
We received feedback from 12 people during the inspection about the services provided. The feedback provided was positive.
During the inspection we spoke to dental nurses and the practice manager. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.
The practice is open:
Monday to Thursday 9.00am to 5.30pm, Friday 9.00am to 12.30pm.
Our key findings were:
- The provider had safeguarding procedures in place and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding adults and children.
- The practice was clean.
- The practice had infection control procedures in place which reflected published guidance.
- Staff knew how to deal with medical emergencies. Appropriate medicines and equipment were available.
- The provider had staff recruitment procedures in place.
- Staff provided patients’ care and treatment in line with current guidelines.
- The dental team provided preventive care and supported patients to achieve better oral health.
- Staff treated patients with dignity and respect and took care to protect their privacy and personal information.
- The appointment system took account of patients’ needs.
- The provider had a procedure in place for dealing with complaints. The practice dealt with complaints positively and efficiently.
- The practice had a leadership and management structure.
- The provider had systems in place to manage risk. Risks relating to vaccine-preventable diseases had not been fully assessed or reduced.
- Staff felt involved and supported and worked well as a team.
- The provider had systems to support the management and delivery of the service and to support governance.
- The practice asked patients and staff for feedback about the services they provided.
There were areas where the provider could make improvements. They should:
- Review the practice’s systems for assessing, monitoring and mitigating the various risks arising from the undertaking of the regulated activities. In particular, in relation to staff immunity to vaccine-preventable diseases.
- Review the practice's protocols and procedures for the use of X-ray equipment taking into account HPA-CRCE-010 Guidance on the Safe Use of Dental Cone Beam (Computed Tomography).
- Review the practice's protocols and procedures to ensure staff are up-to-date with their recommended training and their continuing professional development.