Updated 25 March 2020
We carried out this announced inspection on 10 February 2020 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 Care Quality Commission (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 this practice was providing safe care in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Are services effective?
We found this practice was providing effective care in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Are services caring?
We found this practice was providing caring services in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Are services responsive?
We found this practice was providing responsive care in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Are services well-led?
We found this practice was providing well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Background
The Tuddenham Road Dental Surgery is in Ipswich, Suffolk and provides private dental care and treatment for adults and their children, as well as NHS dental care and treatment for children.
There is level access to the practice for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. Car parking spaces are available at the rear of the practice and in streets near the practice.
The dental team includes three dentists, four dental nurses, two dental hygienists, the practice manager and the practice cleaner. The practice has four treatment rooms.
The practice is owned by a partnership and as a condition of registration must have a person registered with the CQC 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 The Tuddenham Road Dental Surgery is the practice manager.
On the day of inspection, we collected 50 CQC comment cards filled in by patients and spoke with one other patients.
During the inspection we spoke with two dentists, two dental nurses, one dental hygienist 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 Wednesday from 9am to 5.30pm.
Thursday from 9am to 8pm.
Friday from 9am to 3pm.
Our key findings were:
- The practice appeared to be visibly clean and well-maintained.
- The provider had infection control procedures which reflected published guidance. There was scope to ensure audits were undertaken at intervals in line with guidance.
- Staff knew how to deal with emergencies. Not all life-saving equipment was available. However, the practice took swift action and purchased the missing pieces of equipment before the end of the inspection.
- The provider had systems to help them manage risk to patients and staff.
- Antimicrobial audits had not been undertaken.
- The provider had safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
- The provider had staff recruitment procedures which reflected current legislation.
- 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 supported patients to ensure better oral health.
- The appointment system took account of patients’ needs.
- The provider had effective leadership and a culture of continuous improvement.
- Staff felt involved and supported and worked as a team. There was a need for protected time for the practice manager to undertake governance of the practice.
- The provider asked staff and patients for feedback about the services they provided.
- The provider dealt with complaints positively and efficiently.
- The provider had information governance arrangements.
There were areas where the provider could make improvements. They should:
- Take action to ensure an automated external defibrillator (AED) is available immediately to manage medical emergencies, taking into account the guidelines issued by the Resuscitation Council (UK) and the General Dental Council, and undertake a risk assessment if a decision is made not to have an AED on site.
- Implement audits for prescribing of antibiotic medicines taking into account the guidance provided by the Faculty of General Dental Practice.