Loddon Bridge Road Dental Practice

On this page

• Overview
• Learning culture
• Safe systems, pathways and transitions
• Safeguarding
• Involving people to manage risks
• Safe environments
• Safe and effective staffing
• Infection prevention and control
• Medicines optimisation

We found this practice was providing safe care in accordance with the relevant regulations and had taken into consideration appropriate guidance.

Find out what we look at when we assess this area in our information about our new Single assessment framework.

The judgement for Learning culture is based on the latest evidence we assessed for the Safe key question.

The judgement for Safe systems, pathways and transitions is based on the latest evidence we assessed for the Safe key question.

The judgement for Safeguarding is based on the latest evidence we assessed for the Safe key question.

The judgement for Involving people to manage risks is based on the latest evidence we assessed for the Safe key question.

The premises were visibly clean, well maintained and free from clutter.

The practice had processes to identify and manage risks, but immediate improvement was needed.

Staff knew how to respond to a medical emergency and had completed training in emergency resuscitation and basic life support every year.

Checks of emergency equipment and medicines did not follow national guidance to ensure availability and suitability for use.

The practice had not carried out risk assessments in relation to the safe storage and handling of every substance hazardous to health that was in use by staff.

The practice did not ensure equipment was safe to use and maintained and serviced according to manufacturers’ instructions.

Not all of the X-ray equipment had been serviced and maintained according to manufacturer’s requirements. We do not assess compliance with the Ionising Radiation regulations 2017 and the Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) regulations 2017 but we do request services to provide evidence that demonstrates their compliance to inform our findings. Since our visit we have been provided with evidence which confirms this shortfall has been addressed.

The provider did not have effective fire safety management procedures.

The practice did not have an adequate stock control system of prescriptions and dispensed medicines.

The practice had not implemented systems to assess, monitor and manage risks to patient and staff safety. In particular lone working and sepsis awareness.

Recruitment checks had not been carried out, in accordance with relevant legislation to help them employ suitable staff.

The practice ensured clinical staff were qualified, registered with the General Dental Council and had appropriate professional indemnity cover.

The practice did not carry out a structured induction for newly appointed staff.

The practice should take action to ensure that all clinical staff have adequate immunity for vaccine preventable infectious diseases.

Staff we spoke with generally had the skills, knowledge and experience to carry out their roles.

They told us that there were sufficient levels of staff on duty at all times.

They demonstrated knowledge of safeguarding and were aware of how safeguarding information could be accessed. Staff knew how to escalate safeguarding concerns within the practice and externally.
 

Training was not monitored to ensure relevant staff had carried out training at required intervals.

There were no formal opportunities for staff to discuss learning needs, general wellbeing and aims for future professional development. We saw no evidence of completed staff appraisals.

The practice did not have infection control procedures which reflected current published guidance.

Not all relevant staff received appropriate training and demonstrated knowledge and awareness of infection prevention and control processes.

We saw, and staff confirmed that single use items were not reprocessed.

The decontamination of instruments was not carried out in accordance with The Health Technical Memorandum 01-05: Decontamination in primary care dental practices (HTM 01-05) guidance.

The practice did not have adequate procedures to reduce the risk of Legionella or other bacteria developing in water systems.

The practice had protocols to ensure effective safe segregation and disposal of hazardous waste.

The equipment in use was maintained and serviced as per manufacturers’ instructions.

The practice had not carried out infection prevention and control audits six-monthly following current guidance and legislation.

The judgement for Medicines optimisation is based on the latest evidence we assessed for the Safe key question.