Updated 7 December 2021
We carried out this announced inspection on 26 October 2021 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 Care Quality Commission, (CQC), inspector who was supported by a specialist dental adviser.
To get to the heart of patients’ experiences of care and treatment, we ask the following questions:
• Is it safe?
• Is it effective?
• 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 this practice was providing safe care in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Are services effective?
We found this practice was providing effective care in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Are services well-led?
We found this practice was providing well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Background
Parkside Dental and Implant Clinic is in Wolverhampton and provides private dental care and treatment for adults.
There is level access to the practice for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. Car parking spaces are available at the rear of the practice.
The dental team includes one dentist, six dental nurses (including two treatment co-ordinators), one dental hygienist, one receptionist, a dental technician, a business manager and a practice manager who also works at another local practice owned by Portman Healthcare Limited. An endodontic specialist visited the practice if required once per week. The practice has three treatment rooms.
The practice is owned by a company and as a condition of registration must have a person registered with the CQC 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. At the time of inspection there was no registered manager in post as required as a condition of registration. A registered manager is legally responsible for the delivery of services for which the practice is registered. An application has been submitted for the recently employed practice manager to become registered manager.
During the inspection we spoke with a treatment co-ordinator, a dental nurse, the dental hygienist, the receptionist and the practice manager. A quality lead for Portman Healthcare was also in attendance at this inspection. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.
The practice is open: Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm. The practice is closed for lunch for one hour each day.
Our key findings were:
- The practice appeared to be visibly 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 provider had systems to help them manage risk to patients and staff.
- The provider had safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
- The provider had staff recruitment procedures which reflected current legislation.
- 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.
- Staff provided preventive care and supported patients to ensure better oral health.
- The provider had effective leadership and a culture of continuous improvement.
- Staff felt involved and supported and worked as a team.
- The provider asked staff and patients for feedback about the services they provided.
- The provider had information governance arrangements.
There were areas where the provider could make improvements. They should:
- Improve the practice's protocols for medicines management and ensure all medicines are stored and dispensed of safely and securely, ensuring the correct information is recorded on medicine dispensing labels, such as the name and address of the practice.
- Improve the practice's protocols and procedures for the use of X-ray equipment in compliance with The Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017 and Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2017 and taking into account HPA-CRCE-010 Guidance on the Safe Use of Dental Cone Beam (Computed Tomography). In particular ensure that all relevant staff have completed continuous professional development training in the use of intra-oral and Cone Beam (Computed Tomography).
- Take action to implement any recommendations in the practice's Legionella risk assessment, 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.’ In particular ensure hot and cold-water temperatures are within the required temperature range.