Updated 22 July 2022
We undertook a follow up focused inspection of Chelsea Dental Clinic on 5 July 2022. This inspection was carried out to review in detail the actions taken by the registered provider to improve the quality of care and to confirm that the practice was now meeting legal requirements.
The inspection was led by a CQC inspector who was supported by a specialist dental adviser.
We undertook a focused unannounced inspection of Chelsea Dental Clinic on 6 May 2022 under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. We found the registered provider was not providing safe and well led care and was in breach of regulations 12 and 17 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 Chelsea Dental Clinic dental practice on our website www.cqc.org.uk.
When one or more of the five questions are not met, we require the service to make improvements and send us an action plan (requirement notice only). We then inspect again after a reasonable interval, focusing on the areas where improvement was required.
As part of this inspection 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 found at our inspection on 6 May 2022.
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 found at our inspection on 6 May 2022.
Background
Chelsea Dental Clinic is in Fulham, in the London Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, and provides private dental care and treatment for adults and children.
Car parking spaces, including dedicated parking for disabled people, are available near the practice. The practice has made reasonable adjustments to support patients with additional needs, including the provision of a portable ramp.
The dental team includes a principal dentist, five associate dentists, three qualified dental nurses, a trainee dental nurse, a compliance head nurse, one dental hygienist, three dental therapists, one receptionist, one head receptionist who also acts as treatment coordinator and a practice manager. The practice has three treatment rooms.
During the inspection we spoke with the principal dentist, the compliance head nurse, and the practice manager. The specialist advisor had a telephone conversation with the visiting consultant anaesthetist who provides sedation services at the practice. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.
The practice is open:
Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm.
Saturdays and Sundays by appointment only.
There were areas where the provider could make improvements:
- Implement audits for prescribing of antibiotic medicines taking into account the guidance provided by the College of General Dentistry.
- Take action to ensure that all team members involved in conscious sedation update their knowledge and skills in Immediate Life Support (ILS) and paediatric life support (if applicable) at least annually.