Archived: Highgate Dental Practice

Updated 16 March 2016

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the registered provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

The inspection was carried out on 9 February 2016 and was led by a CQC Inspector and a specialist advisor.

We informed NHS England area team and Healthwatch North Yorkshire that we were inspecting the practice; however we did not receive any information of concern from them.

The methods that were used to collect information at the inspection included interviewing staff, observations and reviewing documents.

During the inspection we spoke with three dentists, four dental nurses (including the lead dental nurse), two receptionists and the registered manager. We saw policies, procedures and other records relating to the management of the service. We reviewed 68 CQC comment cards that had been completed.

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 therefore formed the framework for the areas we looked at during the inspection.

Updated 16 March 2016

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 9 February 2016 to ask the practice the following key questions; Are services safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led?

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

Highgate dental practice is located in the centre of Beverley, East Riding of Yorkshire. It provides private dental care and treatment for adults and children. Parking is available locally. The practice also offers a dental care plan where patients pay a monthly subscription.

The practice currently has two principal dentists, three associate dentists, eight dental nurses (one of which is a trainee), four receptionists and a practice manager.

One surgery is located on the ground floor and a timetable is in place to help access to all patients who struggle to climb the stairs. Three surgeries are located on the first floor where the decontamination room and office is located. One surgery is located on the second floor and each floor has a separate waiting area.

The practice is open:

Monday & Wednesday 8:00 – 16:45

Tuesday 08:15 – 18:15

Thursday 08:15 – 16:45

Friday 08:00 – 14:45

Saturday 09:30 – 11:30

The practice manager is the registered manager. A registered manager is a person who is registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the practice is run.

On the day of inspection we received 68 CQC comment cards providing feedback and spoke with two patients. The patients who provided feedback were positive about the care and treatment they received at the practice. They told us they were involved in all aspects of their care and were very pleased with the service. They found staff to be caring, compassionate and friendly and described the treatment to be fantastic. Also the staff had good communication skills, were efficient and patients were treated with dignity and respect in a clean and tidy environment.

Our key findings were:

• Staff had been trained to manage medical emergencies.
• There were sufficient numbers of suitably qualified staff to meet the needs of patients.
• Infection prevention and control procedures were in accordance with the published guidelines.
• Patients’ care and treatment was planned and delivered in line with evidence based guidelines, best practice and current regulations.
• Patients received clear explanations about their proposed treatment, costs, benefits and risks and were involved in making decisions about it.
• Patients were treated with dignity and respect and confidentiality was maintained.
• The appointment system met patients’ needs.
• The practice sought feedback from staff and patients about the services they provided.
• The practice risk assessed patients individual needs through an application that collated evidence and supplied the patient with a traffic light system overview of their oral health needs.