Updated 24 May 2018
We carried out this announced inspection on 26 April 2018 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
Menlove Dental Surgery is in a residential suburb of Liverpool and provides NHS and private dental care and treatment for patients of all ages.
The provider has installed a ramp to facilitate access to the practice for wheelchair users. Car parking is available near the practice.
The dental team includes a principal dentist, five associate dentists, 10 dental nurses, four of whom are trainees, three dental hygiene therapists, and four receptionists, one of whom is a trainee. The team is supported by a practice manager. The practice has six 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 Menlove Dental Surgery was the principal dentist.
We received feedback from 23 people during the inspection about the services provided. The feedback provided was mainly positive about the practice.
During the inspection we spoke to two dentists, dental nurses, a dental hygiene therapist, receptionists 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 Friday 9.05am to 5.40pm.
Our key findings were:
- The practice was clean and well maintained.
- Staff knew how to deal with medical emergencies. Appropriate medicines and equipment were available.
- The provider had systems in place to manage risk.
- The provider had safeguarding procedures in place and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding adults and children.
- Staff provided patients’ care and treatment in line with current guidelines.
- Staff treated patients with dignity and respect and took care to protect their privacy and personal information.
- The dental team provided preventive care and supported patients to achieve better oral health.
- 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 in place.
- Staff felt involved and supported and worked well as a team.
- The practice asked patients and staff for feedback about the services they provided.
- The provider had information governance arrangements in place.
- The practice had infection control procedures in place which mostly reflected published guidance.
- The provider had staff recruitment procedures in place. Not all the recruitment checks were carried out for the clinicians.
There were areas where the provider could make improvements. They should:
- Review the practice’s infection control procedures and protocols taking into account the guidelines issued by the Department of Health in the Health Technical Memorandum 01-05: Decontamination in primary care dental practices, and having regard to The Health and Social Care Act 2008: ‘Code of Practice about the prevention and control of infections and related guidance’, in particular, review the use of sticky tape on dental instruments, uncovered instruments in drawers, and whether the automatic control test on the autoclaves has successfully completed.
- Review the practice's recruitment procedures to ensure that appropriate checks are completed prior to all new staff commencing employment at the practice.
- Review the practice's protocols and procedures to ensure staff are up to date with their mandatory training and their continuing professional development.