Southcroft Dental Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 03 December 2015 to ask the practice the following key questions; Are services safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led?

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

Southcroft Dental Practice is located in the London Borough of Wandsworth. The premises are situated on the ground floor of a converted residential building. There is one treatment room, a dedicated decontamination room, a waiting room with reception area, and a patient toilet.

The practice provides NHS and private services to adults and children. The practice offers a range of dental services including routine examinations and treatment, veneers and crowns and bridges.

The staff structure of the practice consists of a principal dentist (who is also the owner) and two trainee dental nurses, who also act as receptionists.

The practice opening hours are on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8.30am until 7.00pm. The practice is also on open on Thursday from 8.30am until 2.00pm, and is occasionally open on Saturday from 8.30am until 2.00pm.

The principal dentist was in the process of applying to become a registered manager at the time of the inspection. A registered manager is a person who is registered with the CQC to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons 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 inspection took place over one day and was carried out by a CQC inspector and a dentist specialist advisor.

Two people provided feedback about the service. Patients were positive about the care they received from the practice. They were complimentary about the friendly and caring attitude of the dental staff.

Our key findings were:

• Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned in line with current guidance such as from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

• There were effective systems in place to reduce and minimise the risk and spread of infection.
• The practice had effective safeguarding processes in place and staff understood their responsibilities for safeguarding adults and children living in vulnerable circumstances.
• Equipment, such as the air compressor, autoclave (steriliser), fire extinguishers, and X-ray equipment had all been checked for effectiveness and had been regularly serviced.

• Staff recorded accidents, but there was no system for reporting or recording incidents or significant events.

• Patients indicated that they felt they were listened to and that they received good care from a helpful and caring practice team.
• The practice ensured staff maintained the necessary skills and competence to support the needs of patients.
• The practice had undertaken some relevant checks for the clinical staff at the time of employing them, but there was no formal recruitment policy, and not all relevant background checks had been carried out prior to employment.
• The practice had implemented clear procedures for managing comments, concerns or complaints.

• The principal dentist had a clear vision for the practice and staff told us they were well supported by the management team.
• Governance arrangements and audits were effective in improving the quality and safety of the services.

There were areas where the provider could make improvements and should:

• Review the practice's staff recruitment procedures to check the arrangements are in line with Schedule 3 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014; the practice should ensure necessary employment checks are in place for all staff and the required specified information in respect of persons employed by the practice is held.
• Review the practice’s system for recording, investigating and reviewing incidents or significant events with a view to preventing further occurrences and ensuring that improvements are made as a result.
• Undertake a Disability Discrimination Act audit to ensure the provider is undertaking its responsibilities  to respond to the needs of disabled people and the requirements of the Equality Act 2010.