Updated 4 October 2019
We carried out this unannounced inspection on 10 September 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.
We undertook an inspection in response to concerns received.
We asked the following two questions:
• Is it safe?
• Is it well-led?
These questions form part of the framework for the areas we look at during a comprehensive inspection.
Our findings were:
Are services safe?
We found that this practice was providing safe 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 Maltings Dental Surgery is in St Albans, Hertfordshire and provides both NHS and private treatment to adults and children.
The practice is located on the first floor of a building within a shopping centre. There is no level access into the building for people who use wheelchairs or those with pushchairs. There are handrails available to use on the stairs leading to the practice. Car parking is available within the shopping centre.
The dental team includes eight dentists and seven dental nurses. The clinical team are supported by a practice manager, a compliance officer and two receptionists. The practice has five treatment rooms and a designated decontamination room.
The practice is owned by an organisation 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 at The Maltings Dental Surgery is the practice manager.
During the inspection we spoke with two dentists, the practice manager, the compliance officer, two dental nurses and one receptionist. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.
The practice is open: Monday to Friday from 9am to 5.30pm and Saturday from 9am to 3pm.
Our key findings were:
- The practice appeared clean and well maintained.
- The provider had detailed infection control procedures which reflected published guidance. We identified that the practice required an extra ultrasonic bath in the decontamination room to suit the needs of the large practice. Furthermore, the illuminated magnifier required a new bulb. Both items were ordered on the day of inspection for delivery the next working day.
- Staff knew how to deal with emergencies. Appropriate medicines and most pieces of life-saving equipment were available. The emergency kit was missing certain sizes of clear face masks. When we raised this with the practice they immediately ordered the missing sizes to be delivered the next working day.
- 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.
- The provider had thorough staff recruitment procedures.
- The provider had effective leadership and culture of continuous improvement.
- Staff felt involved and supported and worked well as a team.
- The provider asked staff and patients for feedback about the services they provided.
- The provider had suitable information governance arrangements.