Updated 15 October 2018
We carried out this announced inspection on 20 September 2018 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 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 caring?
We found this practice was providing caring services in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Are services responsive?
We found this practice was providing responsive 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
King Square Dental Practice is in Bridgwater and provides private treatment to adults and NHS treatment to children.
There is level access for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. Car parking is available in a public car park near the practice.
The dental team includes four dentists, four dental nurses two of whom cover receptionist duties, one trainee dental nurse, two dental hygienists and a practice manager. The practice has five treatment rooms.
The practice is owned by a partnership and as a condition of registration must have a person registered with the Care Quality 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 Kings Square Dental Practice is the principal dentist.
On the day of inspection we collected 42 CQC comment cards filled in by patients and spoke with three other patients.
During the inspection we spoke with three dentists, two dental nurses one of whom covers receptionist duties, one dental hygienist, 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 – Thursday 09.00am – 5.00pm
- Friday 09.00am – 4.00pm
- Closed at weekends.
- Out of Hours information is available via the telephone answering service.
Our key findings were:
- The practice appeared clean and well maintained.
- The provider 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 to patients and staff.
- The practice staff had suitable safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
- The provider 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 provider was providing preventive care and supporting patients to ensure better oral health.
- The appointment system met patients’ needs.
- The practice had effective leadership and a culture of continuous improvement.
- 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 provider dealt with complaints positively and efficiently.
- The provider had suitable information governance arrangements.
There were areas where the provider could make improvements. They should:
- Review the risks associated with the transport of contaminated instruments outside the practice premises by the dental hygienists, considering 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’.
- Review the practice risk management systems for monitoring and mitigating the various risks arising from the undertaking of the regulated activities. Review the fire safety and ensure any actions required are completed and ongoing fire safety management is effective.
- Review the practice recruitment procedures for agency staff to ensure that appropriate checks are completed prior to new staff commencing employment at the practice.
- Review staff training to ensure all staff have received training, to an appropriate level, in the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults.
Review the practice protocols and systems to ensure staff are up to date with their mandatory training and their continuing professional development.