Mydentist - Caldy Road - Aintree

We carried out this announced inspection on 11 February 2020 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 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 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 caring?

We found this practice was providing caring services in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Are services responsive?

We found this practice was providing responsive 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

My Dentist – Caldy Road – Aintree is located in Liverpool, Merseyside and provides NHS and private dental care and treatment for adults and children.

There is no level access to the practice for people who use wheelchairs. The practice could be accessible for those with pushchairs. Car parking spaces are available on the roads near the practice.

The dental team includes five dentists, three dental nurses, one trainee dental nurse, one dental hygienists, two receptionists and a practice manager. 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. The registered manager at My Dentist – Caldy Road – Aintree is the practice manager. The registered manager was on leave at the time of our inspection. At the time of this inspection, a dental nurse from another practice was providing cover as practice manager.

On the day of inspection, we collected 16 CQC comment cards filled in by patients.

During the inspection we spoke with two dentists, two dental nurses, the regulatory compliance officer for the area, the area manager and the acting practice manager. A newly recruited area compliance officer was also present on the day of our inspection, but this was in the role of an observer, during a period of their training.

We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.

The practice is open from Monday to Friday from 9am to 5.15pm. The practice is closed for an hour for lunch each day between 1pm and 2pm.

Our key findings were:

• The practice appeared to be visibly clean. Various maintenance works had been carried out recently and further work was planned, for example, to address damp in the top floor of the building.
• 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; risk assessments in relation to staff immunity to Hepatitis B were not introduced timeously.
• The provider had safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
• The provider had staff recruitment policies and procedures in place which reflected current legislation. When we reviewed records, we saw that these were not consistently applied.
• 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 appointment system took account of patients’ needs.
• The provider promoted a culture of continuous improvement.
• Staff felt involved and worked as a team.
• The provider asked staff and patients for feedback about the services they provided.
• The provider dealt with complaints quickly and efficiently.
• The provider had information governance arrangements.

There were areas where the provider could make improvements. They should:

• Implement an effective recruitment procedure to ensure that appropriate checks are completed prior to new staff commencing employment at the practice.

• Improve the practice's risk management systems for monitoring and mitigating the various risks arising from the undertaking of the regulated activities.

• Take action to ensure the regulated activities at My Dentist – Caldy Road - Aintree are overseen by an individual who is registered as a manager.