Updated 10 September 2019
We carried out this announced inspection on 31 July 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
Verwood Forest Lodge Partnership is in Verwood and provides NHS treatment to adults and children.
There is level access for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. Car parking spaces, including for blue badge holders, are available near the practice.
The dental team includes four dentists, one lead dental nurse, five dental nurses, two dental hygienists, one practice manager and five receptionists. The practice has three treatment rooms.
The practice is owned by a partnership 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 Verwood Forest Lodge Partnership is the practice manager. A registered manager is legally responsible for the delivery of services for which the practice is registered.
On the day of inspection, we collected 15 CQC comment cards filled in by patients and spoke with two other patients.
During the inspection we spoke with two dentists, one lead dental nurse, three dental nurses, hygiene therapist, two practice managers and one compliance manager. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.
The practice is open:
Monday 8.30am to 5pm
Tuesday 8am to 7.30pm
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 8am to 4pm
Our key findings were:
- The practice appeared clean and well maintained.
- The provider had infection control procedures which reflected published guidance.
- Staff knew how to deal with emergencies. Appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment were available.
- The provider had systems to help them manage risk to patients and staff.
- Improvements could be made to the cone beam computed tomography machine quality assurance process in line with guidance.
- Improvements could be made to decontamination workflows and validation testing frequencies of automatic cleaning equipment.
- Improvements could be made to room air temperature control in the decontamination area.
The provider had suitable safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
- The provider 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 provided 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.
There were areas where the provider could make improvements. They should:
- Review the practice's protocols and procedures for the use of X-ray equipment in compliance with The Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017 and Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2017 and taking into account HPA-CRCE-010 Guidance on the Safe Use of Dental Cone Beam (Computed Tomography).
- Review the suitability of the premises and ensure all areas are fit for the purpose for which they are being used, in particular temperature and ventilation control.
- Review the practice’s infection control procedures and protocols taking into account the guidelines issued by the Department of Health in the Health Technical Memorandum 01-05: Decontamination in primary care dental practices, and having regard to The Health and Social Care Act 2008: ‘Code of Practice about the prevention and control of infections and related guidance’