Updated 18 November 2019
We carried out this announced inspection on 11 October 2019 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 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 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
Vadher Dental Practice is in Coalville, a town in North West Leicestershire and provides NHS and private dental treatment to adults and children.
There is level access for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. There are limited car parking spaces on the front of the premises and parking is also available within a short distance of the practice, at a public car park.
The dental team includes three dentists, two dental nurses (one who also works as a receptionist), one trainee dental nurse and a practice manager. The practice manager is also qualified as a dental nurse. The practice has two treatment rooms, both on ground floor level.
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.
We sent 50 comment cards in advance of our visit to the practice for patients to complete. On the day of inspection, we collected 53 CQC comment cards that had been filled in by patients, as more had requested to complete them. This represented a 100% response rate.
During the inspection we spoke with three dentists, two dental nurses (including the receptionist and trainee nurse), and the practice manager. We looked at practice policies and procedures, patient feedback and other records about how the service is managed.
The practice is open: Monday to Friday from 9am to 5.30pm. It closes between 1pm and 2pm for lunch.
Our key findings were:
- The practice appeared clean and well maintained.
- The provider had infection control procedures which reflected published guidance.
- Staff knew how to deal with emergencies. Appropriate medicines and most life-saving equipment were available with exception of two clear face masks for the self-inflating bag and a child oxygen face mask with reservoir and tubing. These were ordered immediately after our inspection.
- The provider had systems to help them manage risk to patients and staff.
- The provider had suitable safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
- The provider had thorough staff recruitment procedures.
- The clinical staff provided patients’ care and treatment in line with current guidelines. We found that further detail was required in some aspects of record keeping. Following our visit, we saw that further training had taken place by all staff.
- 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 were dedicated and took pride in their work. The provider had effective leadership and culture of continuous improvement.
- Staff felt involved and supported and worked well 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 suitable information governance arrangements.