Updated 14 March 2019
We undertook a focused inspection of Westmount Dental Surgery on 05 February 2019.
This inspection was carried out to review in detail the actions taken by the registered provider to improve the quality of care and to confirm that the practice was now meeting legal requirements.
The inspection was led by a CQC inspector who was supported remotely by a specialist dental adviser.
We undertook a comprehensive inspection of Westmount Dental Surgery on 02 October 2018 under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. We found the registered provider was not providing safe and well-led care and was in breach of regulations 12, 17 and 19 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014.
You can read our report of that inspection by selecting the 'all reports' link for Westmount Dental Surgery on our website www.cqc.org.uk.
As part of this inspection we asked:
• Is it safe?
• Is it well-led?
When one or more of the five questions are not met we require the service to make improvements and send us an action plan. We then inspect again after a reasonable interval, focusing on the areas where improvements were required.
Our findings were:
Are services safe?
We found this practice was providing safe care in accordance with the relevant regulations.
The provider had made improvements in relation to the regulatory breaches we found at our inspection 2 October 2018.
Are services well-led?
We found this practice was providing well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations.
The provider had made improvements in relation to the regulatory breach we found at our inspection on 2 October 2018.
Background
Westmount Dental Surgery is in Sunderland and provides NHS and private treatment to adults and children.
There is level access for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. Car parking spaces are available near the practice.
The dental team includes five dentists (including the principal dentist), six dental nurses (two of whom are trainees), five dental hygiene therapists, a practice manager, a compliance manager, a treatment co-ordinator and two receptionists.
The practice has six treatment rooms.
The practice is owned by an individual who is the principal dentist there. They have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated regulations about how the practice is run.
During the inspection we spoke with the principal dentist 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 and Thursday 9am to 5pm
Tuesday 9am to 8pm
Friday 9am to 4pm
Saturday by prior appointment only.
Our key findings were:
- The practice had reviewed their governance and management systems and now had effective leadership.
- The provider had infection control procedures which reflected published guidance.
- The provider had improved their staff recruitment procedures.
- Staff knew how to deal with emergencies. Appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment were available.
- The practice had systems to help them manage risk.
- The practice’s safeguarding protocols and processes were now adequate.
- The provider reviewed their systems to ensure the security of patient dental record cards.
There were areas where the provider could make improvements. They should:
- 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 the guidance for Dental Practitioners on the Safe Use of X-ray Equipment.