Updated 21 February 2019
We carried out this announced inspection on 30 January 2019 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.
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
Huntingdon House Dental Practice Street Dental Practice is a well-established practice based in St Neots that provides both private and NHS treatment to about 6,000 patients. The dental team includes five dentists, two dental therapists, a hygienist and six nurses.
The practice opens on Mondays from 9am to 8pm; on Tuesday and Wednesdays from 9am to 5pm; on Thursdays from 9am to 6pm and on Fridays from 9am to 3.20pm. The practice also opens once a month on a Saturday morning.
The practice is owned by an individual who is the principal dentist. She has 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 spoke with the principal dentist, two associate dentists, the practice manager, and nursing and reception staff. We also spoke with six patients. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.
Our key findings were:
- The practice had effective systems to help ensure patient safety. These included safeguarding children and adults from abuse, maintaining the required standards of infection prevention and control, and responding to medical emergencies.
- Risk assessment was robust and action was taken to protect staff and patients.
- The practice offered extended opening hours one evening a week and one Saturday a month.
- Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned and delivered in line with current best practice guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and other published guidance.
- Patients received their care and treatment from well supported staff, who greatly enjoyed their work.
- Members of the dental team were supported to meet the requirements of their professional registration and undertake additional training to progress their skills and knowledge.
- The practice had effective leadership and a culture of continuous audit and improvement.
- The practice asked staff and patients for feedback about the services they provided. Staff felt involved and worked well as a team.
There were areas where the provider could make improvements and should:
- Review the storage of dental care products and medicines requiring refrigeration to ensure they are stored in line with the manufacturer’s guidance and the fridge temperature is monitored and recorded
- Review the security of prescription pads in the practice and ensure there are systems in place to track and monitor their use.
- Review its responsibilities to respond to meet the needs of patients with disability and the requirements of the Equality Act 2010.