Updated 16 January 2019
We carried out this announced inspection on 17 December 2018 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 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
Brecknock Dental is in the London Borough of Camden and provides NHS and private treatment to adults and children.
The dental team includes a practice manager, 12 dentists, eight dental nurses, a trainee dental nurse, and two receptionist. The practice has six treatment rooms.
The practice is owned by a partnership, 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 Brecknock Dental is one of the dentists.
On the day of this inspection, we collected six CQC comment cards filled in by patients.
During the inspection we spoke with two dentists, two dental nurses, a receptionist and the practice manager. We checked practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.
The practice is open at the following times:
Monday to Friday: 9am – 6pm
Saturday: 9am – 3pm
Our key findings were:
- The practice had infection control procedures and appeared clean and well maintained.
- Staff knew how to deal with emergencies. Appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment were available.
- The practice had systems to help them manage risk to patients and staff.
- The provider had suitable safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
- 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 were providing preventive care and supporting patients to ensure better oral health.
- The appointment system took account of patients’ needs.
- The provider had effective leadership and culture of continuous improvement.
- Staff felt involved and supported and worked well as a team.
- The provider asked staff and patients for feedback about the services they provided.
- The provider dealt with complaints positively and efficiently.
- The provider had suitable information governance arrangements.
- Dental care records were stored securely, clearly written and detailed.
- The practice had recruitment procedures, though they had not carried out up-to-date background checks for some staff; they began to address this shortly after the inspection.
There were areas where the provider could make improvements. They should:
- Review arrangements in relation to prescription pads in the practice, to ensure there are effective systems in place to track and monitor their use.
- Review practice's recruitment procedures to ensure that appropriate background checks are completed prior to new staff commencing employment at the practice.