EC1 Dental Centre

We carried out this announced comprehensive inspection on 24 February 2023 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 practice 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 advisor.

To get to the heart of patients’ experiences of care and treatment, we always ask the following 5 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:

• The dental clinic appeared clean and well-maintained.
• The practice had infection control procedures which reflected published guidance.
• Staff knew how to deal with medical emergencies. Appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment were available. Improvements were needed so that staff who were involved in conscious sedation undertake additional training in medical emergencies.
• The practice had systems to manage risks for patients, staff, equipment and the premises.
• Safeguarding processes were in place and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
• The practice had staff recruitment procedures which reflected current legislation.
• Clinical staff provided patients’ care and treatment in line with current guidelines. Improvements were needed so that records in respect of conscious sedation are completed consistently.
• Patients were treated with dignity and respect. Staff took care to protect patients’ privacy and personal information.
• Staff provided preventive care and supported patients to ensure better oral health.
• The appointment system worked efficiently to respond to patients’ needs.
• The frequency of appointments was agreed between the dentist and the patient, giving due regard to National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines.
• There was effective leadership and a culture of continuous improvement.
• Staff felt involved, supported and worked as a team.
• Staff and patients were asked for feedback about the services provided.
• Complaints were dealt with positively and efficiently.
• The practice had information governance arrangements.

Background

EC1 Dental Centre is in the London Borough of Haringey and provides NHS and private dental care and treatment for adults and children. The practice provides treatment using conscious sedation.

There is step free access to the practice for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. The practice has made reasonable adjustments to support patients with access requirements.

The dental team includes 3 dentists, 3 dental nurses, including the practice manager and a receptionist. The practice has 3 treatment rooms.

During the inspection we spoke with 1 dentist, 2 dental nurses and the practice manager. We looked at practice policies, procedures and other records to assess how the service is managed.

The practice is open between 9am and 6pm on Mondays to Fridays.

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

• Review the 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.
• Review the practice systems to ensure patient referrals to other dental or health care professionals are centrally monitored to ensure they are received in a timely manner and not lost.