Hope Dental Clinic

We carried out this announced inspection on 3 December 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 Care Quality Commission, (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

Hope Dental Clinic is in the village of Hope and provides NHS and private dental care and treatment for adults and children.

There is level access in to the practice for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. Car parking spaces, including dedicated parking for people with restricted mobility, are available onsite at the practice.

The dental team includes three dentists, four dental nurses including one trainee dental nurse and one apprentice dental nurse, one dental hygienist, one dental hygiene therapist, one receptionist and a practice manager. The practice has three treatment rooms all located on the ground floor and centralised decontamination facilities.

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.

On the day of inspection, we collected 41 CQC comment cards filled in by patients and spoke with one other patient. Feedback received about the practice was positive

During the inspection we spoke with three dentists, three dental nurses, the receptionist 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 from 8.30am to 5.30pm, Tuesday: from 8am to 5.30pm, Wednesday: from 8.30am to 5.30pm, Thursday: from 8.30am to 5.30pm and Friday: from 8.30am to 3pm.

Our key findings were:

• The practice appeared to be visibly 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 safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
• The provider had staff recruitment procedures which reflected current legislation.
• Improvements could be made to the way local anaesthetics were stored.
• The provider could make improvents in relation to the audits of antibiotic prescribing.
• 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 and supported and worked 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 information governance arrangements.

There were areas where the provider could make improvements. They should:

• Review the practice protocols regarding audits for prescribing of antibiotic medicines taking into account the guidance provided by the Faculty of General Dental Practice.

• Improve the practice's protocols for medicines management and ensure all medicines are stored and dispensed safely and securely. Particularly in respect of keeping local anaesthetics in their protective blister packs up to the point of use.