Updated 8 November 2018
We carried out this announced inspection on 04 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 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
Northfield Dental Practice is a large practice based in Kettering, a town in Northamptonshire. It provides NHS and private treatment to adults and children.
There is level access for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. There are no car parking facilities at the practice; free public car parking is available outside the premises and also at a pay and display car park within close proximity to the practice.
The dental team includes nine dentists, two dental nurses, eight trainee dental nurses, two dental hygienists, one dental hygiene therapist and seven receptionists. A practice manager is also employed. The practice has six treatment rooms and a separate decontamination facility. The practice is based on one floor at ground level.
The practice is an approved training practice for dentists new to general dental practice. One of the dentists is a trainer.
The practice offers emergency dental care to people who are not required to be registered with the practice. This service is provided to people who contact the practice directly and NHS 111 who have a dental emergency. This is offered during the practice’s opening hours, over seven days a week and for 365 days a year.
The practice is owned by a company and as a condition of registration must have a person registered with the Care Quality Commission as the registered manager. Registered managers have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated regulations about how the practice is run. The registered manager at Northfield Dental Practice is the practice manager.
On the day of inspection we collected 42 CQC comment cards filled in by patients.
During the inspection we spoke with three dentists, three dental nurses, one receptionist, the compliance manager for the provider and the practice manager. We looked at practice policies, patient feedback and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.
The practice is open: Monday to Sunday from 8am to 8pm.
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 life-saving equipment were available.
- The practice had systems to help them manage risk to patients and staff.
- The practice staff had suitable safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
- The provider had staff recruitment procedures. We found these could be strengthened to ensure the practice received assurance that references had been obtained for all staff.
- The clinical staff provided patients’ care and treatment in line with current guidelines.
- Staff treated patients with dignity and respect and took care to protect their privacy and personal information.
- The provider was providing preventive care and supporting patients to ensure better oral health.
- The appointment system met patients’ needs.
- The practice had effective leadership and culture of continuous improvement.
- Staff felt involved and supported and worked well as a team.
- The practice 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.
There were areas where the provider could make improvements. They should:
- Review the practice’s sharps procedures to ensure the practice is in compliance with the Health and Safety (Sharp Instruments in Healthcare) Regulations 2013.
- Review the practice's recruitment policy and procedures to ensure accurate, complete and detailed records are maintained for all staff.