Updated 22 August 2018
We undertook a focused inspection of Belford Dental Practice on 26 July 2018. This inspection was carried out to review 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 inspection was led by a CQC inspector who had remote access to a specialist dental adviser.
We undertook a comprehensive inspection of Belford Dental Practice on 28 March 2018 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 and well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations 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 Belford Dental Practice on our website www.cqc.org.uk.
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 after a reasonable interval, focusing on the areas where improvement was required.
As part of this inspection we asked:
• Is it safe?
• Is it well-led?
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 breach we found at our inspection on 28 March 2018.
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 breach we found at our inspection on 28 March 2018.
Background
Belford Dental Practice is in Belford, Northumberland and provides private treatment to adults and children. A portable ramp is available for people who use wheelchairs and pushchairs. On street parking is available near the practice.
The dental team includes one dentist, one dental nurse and one receptionist. The practice has one treatment room.
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.
During the inspection we spoke with the dentist, the dental nurse and the receptionist. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.
The practice is open:
Monday 9am to 6:30pm
Tuesday 9am to 4pm
Wednesday 9am to 5pm
Thursday 9am to 5pm
Friday 9am to 1pm
Our key findings were:
- Medicines and life-saving equipment were available in accordance with national guidance. The practice had purchased an Automated External Defibrillator.
- The practice had effective systems to help them manage risks associated with fire, legionella and other areas.
- The provider had thorough staff recruitment procedures.
- The practice staff understood their responsibilities in relation to the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002.
- Staff had reviewed their protocols and procedures for use of X-ray equipment giving due regard to Guidance Notes for Dental Practitioners on the Safe use of X-ray Equipment by the National Radiological Protection Board.
- The practice had fully assessed the needs of all population groups in line with the requirements of the Equality Act 2010; a disability discrimination assessment was undertaken for the premises.
- Staff were aware of how to access an interpreter service for patients who do not speak English as their first language.
- The dental team was familiar with the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 as well as other recent guidance relating to dentistry.