Archived: Bupa Dental Care Poole

We carried out this announced inspection on 11 October 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

Bupa - Madeira Road, Poole and Madeira Road Partnership is in Poole and provides private dental treatment to adults and children.

There is level access for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. Car parking spaces, including those for blue badge holders, are available near the practice.

The dental team includes eight dentists, ten dental nurses, one dental hygienist, one dental therapist, two receptionists and one practice manager. The practice has six treatment rooms.

The practice is owned by a company 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 Bupa - Madeira Road, Poole is the practice manager. A registered manager is legally responsible for the delivery of services for which the practice is registered.

On the day of inspection, we collected 25 CQC comment cards filled in by patients and spoke with four other patients.

During the inspection we spoke with four dentists, four dental nurses, one dental therapist, two receptionists, one visiting practice manager 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, Tuesday and Thursday 8am to 7pm

Wednesday 8am to 5.30pm

Friday 8am to 5pm

Weekends by appointment

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 provider had systems to help them manage risk to patients and staff.
• The provider had suitable safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
• Improvements could be made to the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002 file to ensure the safe use of materials.
• Improvements could be made to ensure that medical waste bins were secured to stop unauthorised removal.
• Improvements could be made to the radiation protection file to demonstrate evidence of engagement from the radiation protection advisor.
• 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.
• 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, supported and worked well as a team.
• The provider 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:

• Improve the practice's processes for the control and storage of substances hazardous to health identified by the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002, to ensure risk assessments are undertaken and the products are stored securely.

• Improve the practice's waste handling protocols to ensure waste is segregated and disposed of in compliance with the relevant regulations and taking into account the guidance issued in the Health Technical Memorandum 07-01, in particular security of waste bins to stop unauthorised removal.

• Improve the practice's protocols and procedures for the use of X-ray equipment in compliance with The Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017 and Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2017 and taking into account the guidance for Dental Practitioners on the Safe Use of X-ray Equipment, in particular to evidence engagement with the radiation protection advisor.