Updated 26 August 2020
We undertook a follow-up desk-based review of Azure Dental on 2 August 2020. This desk-based review was carried out to consider 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 review was carried out by a CQC inspector.
We undertook a comprehensive inspection of Azure Dental on 28 January 2020 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 or 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 Azure Dental on our website www.cqc.org.uk.
As part of this review we asked:
• Is it safe?
• Is it well-led?
When one or more of the five questions are not met we require the service to make improvements and send us an action plan. We then inspect again, or carry out a remote review after a reasonable interval, focusing on the areas where improvement was required.
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 28 January 2020.
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 28 January 2020.
Background
Azure Dental is in Formby, Merseyside and provides private dental care and treatment for adults and children.
There is level access to the practice for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. Car parking spaces are available near the practice in pay and display car parks or on the residential streets nearby.
The dental team includes two dentists, three dental nurses, one of whom is a trainee, two dental hygiene therapists, one treatment co-ordinator and a practice manager. The practice has two treatment rooms.
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.
The practice is open: Monday and Friday from 9am to 5pm; Tuesday and Wednesday from 9am to 7pm; Thursday from 9am to 6pm and on Saturday by appointment, from 9am to 4pm.
Our key findings were:
- The provider had infection control procedures in place which reflected current guidance. Staff were familiar with products used in the cleaning of dental instruments and how these should be applied and utilised.
- Staff had received refresher training in the use of emergency equipment. Questions introduced to the appraisal process helped confirm that staff were competent in handling emergencies and the use of emergency medicines and equipment.
- Stocks of emergency medicines, including the quantity of medical oxygen held, had been reviewed and all items as recommended by recognised guidance were available and ready for use. All items were stored correctly.
- An electrical safety inspection of the premises had been carried out and paperwork to support this had been provided.
- Water temperature testing, as required for management of Legionella, was being carried out and records to demonstrate this were available.
- Staff had access to printouts from the autoclave in use, which confirmed that each cycle started was completed successfully. These printouts were stored for reference purposes.
- Radiation equipment had been inspected and tested by an appropriately qualified person. Queries around the safe management of the cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) equipment had been checked and addressed.
- A protocol for the cleaning of instruments of visiting dental professionals was agreed and in place. All staff were aware of this.