Archived: Hall & Smith Dental Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 15 December 2016 to ask the practice the following key questions; Are services safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led?

Our findings were:

Are services safe?

We found that this practice was providing safe care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Are services effective?

We found that this practice was providing effective care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Are services caring?

We found that this practice was providing caring services in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Are services responsive?

We found that this practice was providing responsive 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 dental practice is located in a converted Victorian building and provides predominantly NHS treatment to patients of all ages. There are six treatment rooms, a consulting room, a decontamination room for sterilising dental instruments, a staff room/kitchen and two general offices. Access for wheelchair users or pushchairs is possible from the ground floor entrance, which lead into the spacious reception and waiting area. Street car parking is available close to the practice.

The practice is open Monday to Thursday 08.45 -17.15, Friday 08.45 -16. 00. The practice did not open at weekends.

The dental team is comprised of five dentists, a practice manager, eleven dental nurses of whom two are trainees, three dental hygienists, one dental therapist, and three receptionists.

The practice provides general dentistry. One of the dentists is involved in the local mountain rescue team and two dentists work for the NHS emergency dental team.

The practice manager is the registered manager. A registered manager is a person who is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the practice is run.

We reviewed ten CQC comment cards on the day of our visit; patients were extremely positive about the staff and standard of care provided by the practice. Patients commented they felt involved in all aspects of their care and found the staff to be helpful, respectful, friendly and were treated in a clean and tidy environment. Two staff had completed the comments cards and both commented that it was a very good practice to work for and that they felt supported.

Our key findings were:

• The practice was well organised, visibly clean and free from clutter.
• An Infection prevention and control policy was in place. We saw the sterilisation procedures followed recommended guidance.
• The practice had systems for recording incidents and accidents.
• Practice meetings were used for shared learning.
• The practice had a safeguarding policy and staff were aware on how to escalate safeguarding issues for children and adults should the need arise.
• Staff received annual medical emergency training. Equipment for dealing with medical emergencies reflected guidance from the Resuscitation Council (UK).
• Dental professionals provided treatment in accordance with current professional guidelines.
• Patient feedback was regularly sought and reflected upon.
• Patients could access urgent care when required.
• Dental professionals were maintaining their continued professional development (CPD) in accordance with their professional registration.
• Complaints were dealt with in an efficient and positive manner.
• The practice was actively involved in promoting oral health.

There were areas where the provider could make improvements and should:

• Review the protocol for completing accurate, complete and detailed records relating to employment of staff. This includes making appropriate notes of verbal reference taken and ensuring recruitment checks, including references, are suitably obtained and recorded.

• Review the practice’s system for the recording and the checking of fire safety procedures.