Updated 25 May 2017
Background
Aspire Dental Care Limited is located in Amersham and provides private treatment to patients of all ages. There is level access for people who use wheelchairs and pushchairs. Car parking spaces are available close to the practice. The premises are on the ground floor and first floor and consist of four treatment rooms, , a reception area and a decontamination room. The practice is open on Monday and Wednesday 08:00am – 2:30pm, Tuesday 10:00am – 4:30pm and Friday 11:00am – 5:30pm.
The dental team includes two associate dentists, three dental nurses, a receptionist and a practice manager.
The practice is owned by a company and as a condition of registration must have a person registered with the Care Quality Commission 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 Aspire Dental Care Limited is the practice manager.
On the day of inspection we collected two CQC comment cards filled in by patients and reviewed the practice patient satisfaction survey. Patients were positive about the service. They were complimentary about the friendly and caring attitude of the staff.
During the inspection we spoke with one of the associate dentists andthe practice manager., We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.
Our key findings were:
- The practice was clean and well maintained.
- The practice had systems to help them manage risk.
- Staff treated patients with dignity and respect and took care to protect their privacy and personal information.
- There were appropriate equipment and access to emergency drugs to enable the practice to respond to medical emergencies. Staff knew where equipment was stored.
- Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned in line with current guidance such as from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).
- We found the dentists regularly assessed each patient’s gum health and took X-rays at appropriate intervals.
- Patients were involved in their care and treatment planning so they could make informed decisions.
- There were effective processes in place to reduce and minimise the risk and spread of infection.
- The practice had effective safeguarding processes in place and staff understood their responsibilities for safeguarding adults and child protection.
- The practice had implemented clear procedures for managing comments, concerns or complaints.
- Patients indicated that they found the team to be efficient, professional, caring and reassuring.
- Patients had good access to appointments, including emergency appointments, which were available on the same day.
- Leadership structures were clear and there were processes in place for dissemination of information and feedback to staff.
. There were areas where the provider could make improvements and should:
- Review the practice’s arrangements for receiving and responding to patient safety alerts, recalls and rapid response reports issued from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and through the Central Alerting System (CAS), as well as from other relevant bodies such as, Public Health England (PHE).
- Review the practice’s audit protocols to ensure audits of various aspects of the service, such as radiography are undertaken at regular intervals to help improve the quality of service.
- Review the storage of records related to people employed and the management of regulated activities giving due regard to current legislation and guidance.
- Review the protocols and procedures for use of X-ray equipment giving due regard to guidance notes on the Safe use of X-ray Equipment.