Updated 25 July 2019
We carried out this announced inspection on 3 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 registered 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 and a pharmacy inspection manager.
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
White known locally as White Dental is in Hamble and provides private treatment to adults and children.
There is level access for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. Car parking spaces, including those for blue badge holders, are available near the practice.
The dental team includes two dentists, one lead dental nurse, two dental nurses, one trainee dental nurse, two dental hygiene/therapists and one practice manager. The practice has two 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 White known locally as White Dental is the practice manage. A registered manager is legally responsible for the delivery of services for which the practice is registered
On the day of inspection, we collected 39 CQC comment cards filled in by patients and spoke with four other patients.
During the inspection we spoke with one dentist, the lead dental nurse, a dental nurse-, a trainee dental nurse, a dental hygiene/therapist, the oversight and monitoring lead 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, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 8.30am to 5.30pm
Tuesday 11am to 8pm
Our key findings were:
- The practice appeared 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.
- The provider had systems to help them manage risk to patients and staff.
- The provider had suitable safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
- The provider had thorough staff recruitment procedures.
- The clinical 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.
- Staff provided preventive care and supporting patients to ensure better oral health.
- The appointment system took account of patients’ needs.
- Improvements could be made to Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002 file to ensure the safe storage and use of materials used.
- Improvements could be made to the sedation service.
- Improvements could be made to the records for the use of Dental Cone Beam (Computed Tomography).
- The provider had effective leadership and culture of continuous improvement.
- Staff felt involved and supported and worked well 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 suitable information governance arrangements.
There were areas where the provider could make improvements. They should:
- Review the practice's policy for the control and storage of substances hazardous to health identified by the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002, to ensure risk assessments are undertaken and the products are stored securely.
- Review the practice’s protocols for conscious sedation, taking into account the guidelines published by The Intercollegiate Advisory Committee on Sedation in Dentistry in the document 'Standards for Conscious Sedation in the Provision of Dental Care 2015, in particular service level agreements.
- Review the practice's protocols and procedures for the use of X-ray equipment in compliance with The Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017 and Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2017 and taking into account HPA-CRCE-010 Guidance on the Safe Use of Dental Cone Beam (Computed Tomography).