Archived: Leigh Primary Dental Care

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 18 March 2016 to ask the practice the following key questions; Are services safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led?

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

The practice is located within a purpose build medical centre and offers NHS primary care dentistry to adult patients and children.

The practice provides dental services 365 days a year, including weekend and public holidays. The practice is open on Monday to Friday from 9am to 9pm (the last appointment was 8.15pm), on Saturday from 9am to 1pm and on Sunday from 10 am to 2pm. It is closed each lunch time from 1.00pm to 2pm. The reception remains open during lunchtimes.

There are four dentists, one dental nurse and four trainee dental nurses, a team of receptionist and a practice manager.

The principal dentist is the registered provider for the practice and the practice manager is the registered manager. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the practice is run.

We received feedback from patients about the service via 47 Care Quality Commission (CQC) comment cards and we spoke with five patients during the inspection. All the comments were positive about the staff and the services provided. Patients indicated that they were happy with the dental care and treatment that they had received. They said that they could access appointments that suited them including same day appointments for emergency treatments. Patients told us that staff were caring and courteous.

Our key findings were:

• There were procedures in place to keep patients and staff safe. These included systems for investigating and learning from accidents and other safety incidents. However documents such as accident records and significant event logs were not completed in detail to demonstrate the actions taken following such events or the learning shared with staff to minimise recurrences.

• There was an effective complaints system. Complaints were acknowledged, investigated and responded to promptly.
• Staff had received safeguarding training, knew how to recognise signs of abuse and how to report it.
• There were sufficient numbers of suitably qualified staff to meet the needs of patients.
• Staff had been trained to manage medical emergencies.
• The practice had suitable emergency equipment. However there were no paediatric pads for use of the defibrillator.
• Infection control procedures were in accordance with the published guidelines and staff had received role specific training.
• Patient care and treatment was planned and delivered in line with evidence based guidelines and current regulations.
• Patients consent was sought and they received clear explanations about their proposed treatment, costs, benefits and risks and were involved in making decisions about it.
• Patients were treated with dignity and respect and confidentiality was maintained.
• Patients could access routine treatment and urgent care when required.
• The practice was well-led, staff felt involved and supported and worked well as a team.
• The governance systems were effective.

However there were areas where improvements were required:

The provider should:

• Maintain detailed records in respect of accident, incident and significant event reporting that demonstrate what actions have been taken and learning shared.

• Provide paediatric pads for the defibrillator for use to treat children.
• Review the audits for X-rays so that they demonstrate that these are carried out in line with the Faculty of General Dental Practice (FGDP) guidance.