Nork Way Dental Practice

Updated 10 November 2016

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the practice was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

We carried out an announced, comprehensive inspection on 06 July 2016. The inspection took place over one day and was carried out by a CQC inspector and a dental specialist advisor.

We reviewed information received from the provider prior to the inspection. During our inspection we reviewed policy documents and spoke with dentists, dental nurses and reception staff. We conducted a tour of the practice and looked at the storage arrangements for emergency medicines and equipment. One of the dental nurses demonstrated how they carried out decontamination procedures of dental instruments.

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 therefore formed the framework for the areas we looked at during the inspection.

Updated 10 November 2016

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 06 July 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

Nork Way Dental Practice is located in Nork village in Banstead, Surrey.

The practice has five treatment rooms that reside over three levels including the ground floor level. There is a separate decontamination room, an X-ray room, two waiting areas, a reception area and an office.

The practice provides NHS and private dental services to both adults and children. The services provided include routine examinations and treatment, veneers, crowns and bridges and conscious sedation.

The practice staffing consisted of nine dentists (including the two principal dentist partners that own the practice), four dental hygienists, nine dental nurses (including two trainee dental nurses), a receptionist and a part time practice manager.

The practice opening hours are from 8.30am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday and some late evenings and Saturday’s by arrangement only.

One of the principal dentists is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) as an individual. 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.

The inspection took place over one day and was carried out by a CQC inspector and a dental specialist advisor.

Before the inspection we sent Care Quality Commission (CQC) comments cards to the practice for patients to complete to tell us about their experience of the practice. Seventeen patients provided feedback about the service. All comments received by patients were positive about the care and treatment from the practice. They were complimentary about the friendly and caring attitude of the dental staff.

Our key findings were:

• Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned in line with current guidance such as from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

• The practice had an ongoing programme of risk assessments and audits which were used to drive improvement.
• Patients were involved in their care and treatment planning so they could make informed decisions.
• Overall there were effective processes in place to reduce and minimise the risk and spread of infection although some improvements were required to the environment.
• The practice had effective safeguarding processes in place and staff understood their responsibilities for safeguarding adults and child protection
• Equipment, such as the air compressor, autoclave (steriliser), fire extinguishers, and X-ray equipment had all been checked for effectiveness and had been regularly serviced.

• Patients were treated with dignity and respect and confidentiality was maintained.
• The practice had implemented clear procedures for managing comments, concerns or complaints.
• Patients indicated that the team were friendly, caring and provided a pain free service.
• There was a comprehensive induction and training programme for staff to follow which ensured they were skilled and competent in delivering safe and effective care and support to patients.

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

• Review the record keeping protocols for sedation cases and ensure appropriately qualified and skilled staff are assisting in treatment provided under sedation.
• Complete the redesign of the decontamination room to minimise the risk of the spread of infection.
• Put into place processes to check emergency medication is in date and present.