Updated 15 July 2021
We carried out this announced focused inspection on 15 June 2021 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 Care Quality Commission, (CQC), inspector who was supported by a specialist dental adviser.
To get to the heart of patients’ experiences of care and treatment, we asked the following three questions:
• Is it safe?
• Is it effective?
• 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 this practice was providing safe care in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Are services effective?
We found this practice was providing effective care in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Are services well-led?
We found this practice was providing well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Background
Moston Dental Surgery is in Manchester and provides NHS and private dental care and treatment for adults and children.
There is level access to the ground floor surgeries and toilets for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. On street parking is available near the practice.
The dental team includes five dentists, seven dental nurses, a dental hygiene therapist, a practice manager and two receptionists (one of whom is the assistant practice manager). The practice has five treatment rooms.
The practice is owned by an individual who is the principal dentist there. They have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated regulations about how the practice is run.
During the inspection we spoke with three dentists (one of whom was the principal dentist), three dental nurses, a receptionist and the practice manager. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.
The practice is open:
Monday 8.45am – 6.15pm
Tuesday 8.30am – 5.15pm
Wednesday and Thursday 8.45am – 5.15pm
Friday 8.30am – 2.30pm
Saturday 9.00am – 3.00pm by appointment only
Our key findings were:
- The practice appeared to be visibly clean and well-maintained.
- The provider had infection control procedures which reflected published guidance.
- The provider had implemented standard operating procedures in line with national guidance on COVID-19.
- Staff knew how to deal with emergencies. Appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment were available.
- The provider had systems to help them manage risk to patients and staff. Improvements could be made to the risk management of sepsis, Legionella and systems to log NHS prescriptions.
- The provider had safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
- The provider had staff recruitment procedures which reflected current legislation.
- 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.
- Staff provided preventive care and supported patients to ensure better oral health.
- The appointment system took account of patients’ needs.
- The provider had effective leadership and a culture of continuous improvement.
- Staff felt involved and supported and worked as a team.
- The provider asked staff and patients for feedback about the services they provided.
- The provider had information governance arrangements.
There were areas where the provider could make improvements. They should:
- Take action to implement any recommendations in the practice's Legionella risk assessment, taking into account the guidelines issued by the Department of Health in the Health Technical Memorandum 01-05: Decontamination in primary care dental practices, and having regard to The Health and Social Care Act 2008: ‘Code of Practice about the prevention and control of infections and related guidance.’
- Take action to ensure staff have received training in the recognition, diagnosis and early management of sepsis in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance.
- Improve the practice's protocols for medicines management. In particular, ensuring prescribing logs can identify missing prescriptions.