Updated 7 August 2017
We carried out this announced inspection on 13 July 2017 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 CQC inspector who was supported by a specialist dental adviser.
We told the NHS England area team and Healthwatch that we were inspecting the practice. They did not provide any information of concern.
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 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
Oasis Dental East Grinstead is located in East Grinstead. It provides NHS and private treatment to patients of all ages.
The practice is located on two floors. There are four treatment rooms on the ground floor and one treatment room on the first floor. There is a patient waiting area and a separate decontamination room. Free parking is available on site. There is level access for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs.
The dental team includes eight dentists, one implantologist, four dental hygienist/therapists, six qualified dental nurses one of which performs a dual role on reception, two trainee dental nurses, four receptionists, a practice coordinator and a practice manager.
The practice is owned by a company and is registered with the Care Quality Commission as part of Oasis Dental Care (Central). As a condition of registration the practice must have a person registered with the 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 Oasis Dental East Grinstead was the practice manager.
On the day of inspection we collected three CQC comment cards filled in by patients and spoke with six other patients. This information gave us a positive view of the practice.
During the inspection we spoke with three dentists, four dental nurses, the practice manager and two receptionists. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.
The practice is open: Monday and Tuesday from 8am to 7pm, Wednesday from 8.30am to 7pm, Thursday from 8.30am to 8pm, Friday from 8.30am to 5pm and Saturdays (one per month) from 8.30am to 1pm.
Our key findings were:
- The practice appeared clean and well maintained.
- The practice had infection control procedures which reflected published guidance.
- 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 had suitable safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding adults and children.
- The practice had thorough staff recruitment procedures.
- 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.
- The appointment system met patients’ needs.
- The practice had effective leadership. Staff felt involved and supported and worked well as a team.
- The practice asked staff and patients for feedback about the services they provided.
- The practice dealt with complaints positively and efficiently.
We identified that the practice did the following which we consider to be notable practice:
The practice carried out visits once every two months to preschools and playgroups focussing on children from three to six years of age. These visits involved setting up work stations, each one designed around a particular oral health theme. For example, one work station utilised giant models of teeth and toothbrushes to highlight brushing techniques, a ‘sugar station’ utilised sugar charts and had various foods and devices so that young children could easily quantify how much sugar was present; another station enabled children to take part in role play to understand what happens when you visit the dentist.
Children were also given ‘goody’ bags with tooth brushes and timers to encourage compliance with the instructions and activities taught during the sessions.