Updated 24 June 2021
We undertook a follow up focused inspection of Dental Surgery on 2 June 2021. This inspection was carried out to review in detail the actions taken by the registered provider to improve the quality of care and to confirm that the practice was now meeting legal requirements.
The inspection was led by a CQC inspector who was supported by a second CQC inspector.
We undertook a comprehensive inspection of Dental Surgery on 09 May 2019 under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. We found the registered provider was not providing safe, effective, responsive and well led care and was in breach of regulations 12- safe care and treatment; 17- Good Governance and 18- Staffing of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. You can read our report of that inspection by selecting the 'all reports' link for Dental Surgery on our website www.cqc.org.uk.
As part of this inspection we asked:
• Is it safe?
• Is it effective?
• Is it responsive to people’s needs?
• Is it well-led?
When one or more of the five questions are not met, we require the service to make improvements and send us an action plan. We then inspect again after a reasonable interval, focusing on the areas where improvement was required.
Our findings were:
Are services safe?
We found this practice was providing safe care and treatment in accordance with the relevant regulations. The provider had made improvements in relation to the regulatory breaches we found at our inspection on 9 May 2019.
Are services effective?
We found this practice was providing effective care in accordance with the relevant regulations. The provider had made improvements in relation to the regulatory breaches we found at our inspection on 9 May 2019.
Are services responsive?
We found this practice was providing responsive care in accordance with the relevant regulations. The provider had made improvements in relation to the regulatory breaches we found at our inspection on 9 May 2019.
Are services well-led?
We found this practice was providing well-led services in accordance with the relevant regulations. The provider had made improvements in relation to the regulatory breaches we found at our inspection on 9 May 2019.
Background
Dental Surgery is in Erith, within the Greater London Borough of Bexley. The practice provides NHS and private treatment to adults and children. The practice is open from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday and is closed between 1pm and 2pm for lunch. The practice now has two treatment rooms, a separate decontamination area, an open plan reception/waiting room, small staff area and a large rear garden.
There is no level step-free access for people who use wheelchairs or those with pushchairs, however a portable ramp is available on request. Free car parking, including those for blue badge holders, are available on neighbouring roads.
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. The dental team includes two dentists, two qualified dental nurses, one trainee dental nurse and a receptionist. All the dental nurses also undertake receptionist duties.
During the inspection we spoke with the principal dentist, one of the qualified dental nurses, the trainee dental nurse and the receptionist. We checked practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.
Our key findings were:
- The provider had taken steps to improve their staff recruitment procedures.
- Infection prevention and control procedures were now in line with published guidance.
- All medical emergency equipment was available and emergency drugs we checked were in date.
- The practice had taken steps to establish systems to help them manage risk to patients and staff.
- We found suitable safeguarding arrangements were now in place.
- The practice no longer undertook any type of endodontic treatment including root canal treatments.
- Systems and processes were implemented for managing and tracking outgoing referrals.
There were areas where the provider could make improvements. They should:
- Improve and develop the document staff use to report incidents.