Archived: Bailie & Associates Dental Practice - Peckham

We carried out this unannounced inspection on 3 December 2019 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 not 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 not providing well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Background

Bailie & Associates Dental Practice – Peckham is located in the London Borough of Southwark and provides NHS and private dental care and treatment for adults and children.

The dental team includes three associate dentists, one dental nurse and two trainee dental nurses. The clinical team are supported by a practice manager and a receptionist. The practice has three treatment rooms.

The practice is owned by the principal dentist. 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 practice owner, three associate dentists, one dental nurse, the receptionist and the practice manager. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.

The practice is open between:

9am and 5.30pm - Mondays to Thursdays

9am and 12.30pm on Fridays.

Our key findings were:

• The practice appeared to be visibly clean.
• The provider had safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
• Staff knew how to deal with emergencies. Appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment were available.
• The provider had staff recruitment procedures which reflected current legislation. Improvements were needed so that suitable checks were carried out for locum and agency staff who worked at the practice.
• 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 asked staff and patients for feedback about the services they provided.
• The provider dealt with complaints positively and efficiently.
• The provider had information governance arrangements.
• The provider had infection control procedures which reflected published guidance. Improvements were needed so that these procedures were followed and monitored.
• There were ineffective arrangements for acting on and managing identified risks.
• There were ineffective arrangements to ensure that premises and equipment were well-maintained.
• There were ineffective leadership arrangements to support a culture of continuous improvement.
• Improvements were needed so that staff had appraisals to support learning, development and wellbeing needs.

We identified regulations the provider was not complying with. They must:

• Ensure care and treatment is provided in a safe way to patients.
• Establish effective systems and processes to ensure good governance in accordance with the fundamental standards of care.

Full details of the regulations the provider was not meeting are at the end of this report.

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

• Review the practice protocols regarding audits for prescribing of antibiotic medicines taking into account the guidance provided by the Faculty of General Dental Practice.
• Review the practice protocols regarding auditing patient dental care records to check that necessary information is recorded.
• Implement protocols for the use of closed circuit television cameras taking into account the guidelines published by the Information Commissioner's Office.