Updated 12 December 2018
We carried out this announced inspection on 24 October 2018 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 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
The Dentists @ Watling Street Road is in Preston and provides NHS and private dental care for adults and children.
The provider has installed a ramp to facilitate access to the practice for people who use wheelchairs and for those with pushchairs. Car parking spaces are available outside the practice.
The dental team includes four dentists, two dental hygiene therapists, and eight dental nurses. The dental team is supported by a practice manager. The practice has four treatment rooms.
The practice is owned by the two principal dentists. One of the principal dentists has the legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated regulations about how the practice is run.
We received feedback from 42 people during the inspection about the services provided. The feedback provided was positive.
During the inspection we spoke to dentists, dental nurses, dental hygiene therapists, and the practice manager. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.
The practice is open:
Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5.30pm.
Our key findings were:
- The practice was clean and well maintained.
- The practice had infection control procedures in place.
- The provider had safeguarding procedures in place and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding adults and children.
- Staff knew how to deal with medical emergencies. Not all the recommended equipment was available.
- The provider had staff recruitment procedures in place. Not all the required information was available.
- Staff provided patients’ care and treatment in line with current guidelines.
- The dental team provided preventive care and supported patients to achieve better oral health.
- Staff treated patients with dignity and respect and took care to protect their privacy and personal information.
- The appointment system took account of patients’ needs.
- The provider had a procedure in place for dealing with complaints. The practice dealt with complaints positively and efficiently.
- The practice had a leadership and management structure.
- The provider had systems in place to monitor quality and safety, and manage risk. Some of these systems were not operating effectively.
- Staff felt involved and supported and worked well as a team.
- The practice asked patients and staff for feedback about the services they provided.
There were areas where the provider could make improvements. They should:
- Review the practice’s protocols for the use of rubber dam for root canal treatment taking into account guidelines issued by the British Endodontic Society.
- Review the practice's Legionella risk assessment and implement any recommended actions, taking into account the guidelines issued by the Department of Health in the Health Technical Memorandum 01-05: Decontamination in primary care dental practices, and having regard to The Health and Social Care Act 2008: ‘Code of Practice about the prevention and control of infections and related guidance’.
- Review the practice's recruitment procedures to ensure that appropriate checks are completed prior to new staff commencing employment at the practice, and accurate, complete and detailed records are maintained for all staff.
- Review the practice’s systems for assessing, monitoring and mitigating the various risks arising from the undertaking of the regulated activities to ensure they are effective.
- Review the practice’s arrangements for ensuring the practice’s systems for monitoring the quality and safety of the service are effective.