Archived: Smethwick Dental Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 1 March 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

Smethwick Dental Practice is a mixed dental practice providing NHS and private dental treatment for both adults and children. The service is provided by three dentists. They are supported by a practice manager (who is at the practice on a part-time basis), a practice supervisor (who is also part-time), two dental nurses (one of whom is a trainee) and a receptionist.

The practice is located in a busy shopping area. There is a waiting area and treatment room on the ground floor to accommodate patients with mobility difficulties. There is no wheelchair access to the practice; however, patients with wheelchairs can be accommodated at the provider’s other practice which is local.

The premises consist of a reception area, waiting room, staff toilet, staff room and one treatment room on the ground floor. There is another treatment room, a storage room, a decontamination room and toilet facilities for patients on the first floor. There is also an office on the second floor. Opening hours are from 9am to 5pm on Monday to Friday. The practice is also open on Saturdays from 9am to1pm.

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.

Ten patients provided feedback about the practice. We looked at comment cards patients had completed prior to the inspection and we also spoke with patients on the day of the inspection. Overall the information from patients was complimentary. Patients were positive about their experience and they commented that staff were helpful and caring.

Our key findings were:

• There was appropriate equipment for staff to undertake their duties, and equipment was well maintained.
• The practice had systems to assess and manage risks to patients, including infection prevention and control, health and safety, safeguarding and the management of medical emergencies. We identified some areas of improvement and these were actioned promptly.
• Patients’ care and treatment was planned and delivered in line with evidence based guidelines, best practice and current legislation.
• The practice had a structured plan in place to audit quality and safety.
• Staff received training appropriate to their roles.
• Patients told us they found the staff helpful and friendly. Patients commented they felt involved in their treatment and that it was fully explained to them.
• Patients were able to make routine and emergency appointments when needed.
• The practice had an effective complaints system in place and there was an openness and transparency in how these were dealt with.
• Staff told us they felt well supported and comfortable to raise concerns or make suggestions.
• The practice demonstrated that they regularly undertook audits in infection control, radiography and dental care record keeping.

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

• Review the practice’s procedures related to the monitoring of quality and safety. This includes their fire risk assessment and the practice’s recruitment process.

• Review documents to ensure they have the date marked on them for monitoring purposes.