Updated 19 August 2019
We carried out this announced inspection on 17 July 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
The practice is located in the town centre of Great Yarmouth and provides both NHS and private treatment to adults and children. The dental team includes nine dentists, 12 dental nurses, three receptionists and a practice manager. The practice is one of 13 located in the East Anglian region.
There are seven treatment rooms and the practice opens from 8.30 am to 5.15 pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursday and Fridays. From 8 am to 8 pm on a Wednesday, and on Saturdays from 9 am to 12 noon.
There is level access for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. Car parking spaces are available in a nearby car park.
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 is the practice manager.
On the day of inspection, we collected 29 CQC comment cards filled in by patients and spoke with two other patients.
During the inspection we spoke with two dentists, a senior dental nurse, three dental nurses, and reception staff . We also spoke with the company’s area manager who was on site during our inspection.
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 control, and responding to medical emergencies.
- Premises and equipment were clean and properly maintained. The practice followed national guidance for cleaning, sterilising and storing dental instruments.
- The practice’s appointment system was efficient and met patients’ needs. The practice was open till 8pm one day a week and on a Saturday morning and patients could get an appointment quickly if in pain.
- The practice had thorough staff recruitment procedures to ensure only suitable staff were employed.
- The dental care provided was evidence based and focussed on the needs of the patients
- The practice had strong, effective leadership and a culture of continuous audit and improvement.
- Patients’ complaints were managed positively and efficiently.