Queensgate Dental Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 29 March 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

The practice provides a range of private services for patients in and around the Nelson and Burnley areas.

The dental practice is based on the ground and first floors of a converted building. There is a waiting room and reception area, three treatment rooms, decontamination room, staff room/kitchen and further storage facilities.

The practice had three dentists supported by a practice manager, two dental nurses, two trainee dental nurses and a hygienist.

The practice is open Monday and Thursday 9am to 5pm and Friday 9am to 4pm.

The practice owner (principal dentist) 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.

Before the inspection we sent Care Quality Commission comment cards to the practice for patients to complete to tell us about their experience of the practice. We received feedback from 11 patients who were all satisfied with the care and treatment they received at the practice.

Our key findings were:

• The practice had systems to assess and manage risks to patients, including infection prevention and control, health and safety and the management of medical emergencies.
• Premises were well maintained and a tour of the building confirmed that good cleaning and infection control systems were in place.
• There was appropriate equipment and access to emergency drugs to enable the practice to respond to medical emergencies. This included an automated external defibrillator. Staff had been trained to manage medical emergencies.
• There were sufficient numbers of suitably qualified staff to meet the needs of patients.
• The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
• Information about how to complain was available and easy to understand.
• The dental practice had effective clinical governance and risk management structures in place.
• There were systems to monitor and continually improve the quality of the service; including through a programme of clinical and non-clinical audits.
• The practice had a positive relationship with local primary schools holding educational sessions in the schools to promote good dental hygiene.

There were areas where the provider could make improvements and should:

• Review the frequency of the system test for the fire alarms and emergency lighting equipment.
• Review the safety of the gas system used on the premises to ensure that staff and patients are safe.