Olive Dental Care

Updated 19 July 2019

We carried out this announced inspection on 7 June 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 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

Olive Dental Care is in Exning, Newmarket and provides private treatment to adults and children.

There is level access for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. Car parking spaces are available behind the practice.

The dental team includes one dentist, two dental nurses, two hygienists, the business manager (who was also the sedationist) and the front desk coordinator. The practice has two treatment rooms.

The practice is owned by a company and as a condition of registration must have a person registered with the Care Quality Commission 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 Olive Dental Care was the business manager.

On the day of inspection, we collected 50 CQC comment cards filled in by patients.

During the inspection we spoke with one dentist, the business manager, one dental nurse, one dental hygienist and the front desk coordinator. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.

The practice is open: Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 6:00pm.

Our key findings were:

• We received positive comments from patients about the dental care they received and the staff who delivered it.
• The practice appeared clean and well maintained.
• The practice staff had infection control procedures. The practice carried out infection prevention and control audits annually, but not as regularly as recommended by guidance which states completion on a six-monthly basis. An annual infection control statement had not been completed.

• Staff knew how to deal with emergencies. The provider had emergency medicines and equipment in line with the British National Formulary (BNF) guidance for medical emergencies in dental practice. However, we found that both oxygen cylinders and the adult automated external defibrillator (AED) pads were out of date. We were assured the practice had ordered replacements before the end of the inspection.

• The practice had systems to help them manage risk.
• The provider had suitable safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding adults and children.
• The practice had thorough staff recruitment procedures.
• 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 practice had effective leadership and culture of continuous improvement.
• Staff felt involved and supported and worked well as a team.
• The practice asked staff and patients for feedback about the services they provided.
• The practice staff had suitable information governance arrangements.

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

• Review the practice’s system for recording, investigating and reviewing incidents or significant events with a view to preventing further occurrences and ensuring that improvements are made as a result.
• Review the availability of equipment in the practice to manage medical emergencies taking into account the guidelines issued by the Resuscitation Council (UK) and the General Dental Council.