Updated 11 July 2022
We undertook a follow up focused inspection of Mr G Lai & Associates - Harlesden on 17 June 2022. 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 by a specialist dental adviser.
We undertook a focused inspection of Mr G Lai & Associates - Harlesden on 13 April 2022 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 and 17 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 Mr G Lai & Associates - Harlesden dental practice on our website www.cqc.org.uk.
As part of this inspection we asked:
• Is it safe?
• Is it well-led?
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 on 13 April 2022.
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/es we found at our inspection on 13 April 2022.
Background
The provider has three practices and this report is about Mr G Lai & Associates - Harlesden.
Mr G Lai & Associates - Harlesden is in Harlesden, in the London Borough of Brent, and provides NHS dental care and treatment for adults and children.
The dental practice is on the ground floor of a high street building with narrow corridors, and it is not accessible to wheelchair users. The service signposts people with mobility needs to nearby practices.
Metered parking spaces are available near the practice and it is also located close to public transport services.
The dental team includes one principal dentist, two dental associates, one qualified dental nurse, one trainee dental nurse and one practice manager. The practice has two treatment rooms.
During the inspection we spoke with one dentist, one qualified dental nurse, one trainee dental nurse, and the registered manager. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.
The practice is open:
Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 6pm.
Saturday 9.30am to 2pm.
There were areas where the provider could make improvements. They should:
- Take action to ensure that the Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is added to the emergency medicines and equipment checklist and checks of the AED are logged.
- Improve the practice’s infection control procedures and protocols taking into account the guidelines issued by the The Health Technical Memorandum 01-05: Decontamination in primary dental practices (HTM01-05), published by the Department of Health and Social Care.