Updated 13 August 2020
We undertook a follow-up, desk-based review of Waters Green Dental and Implant Clinic on 6 July 2020. This review was carried out to look in detail at the actions taken by the provider to improve the quality of care, and to confirm whether the practice was now meeting legal requirements.
The review was led by a CQC inspector with remote access to a specialist dental adviser.
We undertook a comprehensive inspection of Waters Green Dental and Implant Clinic on 12 February 2020 under section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. At a comprehensive inspection we always ask the following five questions to get to the heart of patients’ experiences of care and treatment:
•Is it safe?
•Is it effective?
•Is it caring?
•Is it responsive?
•Is it well-led?
We found the provider was not providing safe and well-led care and was in breach of regulations 12, 16, 17, 18 and 19 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 Waters Green Dental and Implant Clinic on our website .
When one or more of the five questions are not met, we require the provider to make improvements. We then inspect again after a reasonable interval, focusing on the areas in which improvement was necessary. Due to the constraints in place because of the Covid-19 pandemic the review was desk-based. As part of the review we looked at the provider’s action plan and evidence sent to us to support the action plan.
As part of this review we asked:
•Is it safe?
•Is it well-led?
Our findings were:
Are services safe?
We found this practice was providing safe care in accordance with the relevant regulations.
The provider had made improvements in relation to the regulatory breaches we identified at our inspection on 12 February 2020.
Are services well-led?
We found this practice was providing well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations.
The provider had made improvements in relation to the regulatory breaches we identified at our inspection on 12 February 2020.
Background
Waters Green Dental and Implant Clinic is near the centre of Macclesfield. The practice provides private dental care for adults and children.
There is level access to the practice for people who use wheelchairs and for people with pushchairs.
Car parking is available near the practice.
The dental team includes two dentists, a dental hygiene therapist, and three dental nurses. The practice has three treatment rooms.
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 practice is open:
Monday, Wednesday and Friday 9.00am to 5.00pm
Tuesday and Thursday 10.00am to 7.00pm
Our key findings were :
- The provider had acted to reduce risks further in relation to fire, and the use of sharp instruments.
- The provider had improved their recruitment processes and had obtained the required staff information.
- The provider had acted to improve their systems for ensuring quality and safety in the practice, including in relation to checking of medical emergency equipment, safeguarding vulnerable adults and children, and communicating information to staff.
- The provider had reviewed staff training. Staff had completed the training recommended by their professional regulator.
- The provider had improved their systems for ensuring good governance. It was not possible at this stage to determine whether these improvements would be sustained in the longer term.
There were areas where the provider could make improvements. They should:
- Improve the practice's systems for monitoring and mitigating the various risks arising from the undertaking of the regulated activities. In particular, consider action to be taken where staff Hepatitis B vaccination results are unknown or where staff have not yet completed the vaccination course.
- Improve and develop staff awareness of the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and Gillick competence and ensure all staff are aware of their responsibilities under the Act as it relates to their role.
- Take action to ensure all clinicians are aware and take account of relevant nationally recognised evidence-based guidance.
- Take action to ensure the resulting improvements identified from carrying out audits can be demonstrated.
- Improve the practice’s arrangements to ensure good governance and leadership are sustained in the longer term.