Updated 21 August 2017
We carried out this announced inspection on 1 August 2017 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.
We told the NHS England area team that we were inspecting the practice. They did not provide any information.
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
Bath Oldfield Dental Centre is near Bath city centre and provides mainly NHS with some private treatment to patients of all ages.
The practice is based on the first floor and is accessed either by stairs or a lift. The practice is accessible for patients who use wheelchairs and pushchairs. Car parking spaces are shared with the medical centre which is also based within the building. There are two parking spaces for patients with disabled badges and a number of other parking spaces.
The dental team includes seven dentists, five dental nurses, four trainee dental nurses, two dental hygienists, and five receptionists. The practice has seven 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 Bath Oldfield Dental Centre was the practice manager.
On the day of inspection we collected 30 CQC comment cards filled in by patients and spoke with one other patient. This information gave us a positive view of the practice.
During the inspection we spoke with two dentists, three dental nurses, three receptionists, the practice manager, area manager and regulatory officer for the company. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.
The practice is open:
- Monday to Friday 8am till 6:30pm
Our key findings were:
- The practice appeared clean and well maintained.
- The practice had infection control procedures which reflected published guidance.
- Staff knew how to deal with emergencies. Appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment were available.
- The practice had systems to help them manage risk.
- The practice had suitable safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding adults and children.
- The practice had staff recruitment procedures of which they should improve upon.
- 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.
- The appointment system met patients’ needs.
- The practice had effective leadership. 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 dealt with complaints positively and efficiently.
There were areas where the provider could make improvements. They should:
- Review the protocol for completing accurate, complete and detailed records relating to employment of staff. This includes checking gaps in employment, ensuring references have been sourced following company policy, and risk assessments completed when Disclosure and Barring Service checks had not been returned prior to employment.
- Review its responsibilities as regards to the Control of Substance Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002 and, ensure all documentation is up to date and staff understand how to minimise risks associated with the use of and handling of these substances.
- Review practice policy on how urgent referrals should be monitored and followed up to establish the patient has received the treatment required.