Updated 20 February 2020
We carried out this announced inspection on 5 February 2020 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
My Dentist – Greenes Road – Whiston is located in Merseyside and provides NHS and private dental care and treatment for adults and children.
There is no level access to the practice for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs as there is a small step into the reception area. Car parking spaces are available near the practice.
The dental team includes two dentists, three dental nurses, one dental hygienist, a receptionist and a practice manager. The practice has two treatment rooms.
The practice is owned by a company and as a condition of registration must have a person registered with the CQC 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 My Dentist – Greenes Road – Whiston is the practice manager.
On the day of inspection, we collected 16 CQC comment cards filled in by patients.
During the inspection we spoke with one dentist, one dental nurse, 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 from Monday to Friday, 9am to 1pm and from 2pm to 5.30pm.
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.
- 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.
- 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:
- Improve the practice's waste handling protocols to ensure waste is segregated and disposed of in compliance with the relevant regulations and taking into account the guidance issued in the Health Technical Memorandum 07-01.
- Take action to ensure that all clinical staff have confirmed immunity for vaccine preventable infectious diseases.
- Improve the practice’s arrangements for ensuring good governance and leadership are sustained in the longer term.
- Develop systems to ensure an effective process is established for the on-going assessment, supervision and appraisal of all staff, including the training, learning and development needs of individual staff members at appropriate intervals. This should include access to training on sepsis.