Updated 5 October 2021
We carried out this announced focused inspection on 15 September 2021 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 asked the following three questions:
• Is it safe?
• Is it effective?
• 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 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 well-led?
We found this practice was providing well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Background
Safehands Dental Care is in Lancashire and provides NHS and private dental care and treatment for adults and children.
There is level access to the practice for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. Car parking spaces, including dedicated parking for people with disabilities, are available near the practice.
The dental team includes three dentists, five dental nurses and two receptionists. The practice has four treatment rooms.
The practice is owned by a partnership and as a condition of registration must have a person registered with the CQC 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 Safehands Dental Care is one of the partners.
During the inspection we spoke with two dentists, three dental nurses and one receptionist. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.
The practice is open:
Monday to Thursday 9am to 5:30pm
Fridays 9am to 4:30pm
Our key findings were:
- The practice appeared to be visibly clean and well-maintained.
- The provider had implemented standard operating procedures in line with national guidance on COVID-19.
- The provider had infection control procedures which reflected published guidance. Improvements could be made to the auditing of these.
- 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. Systems could be improved by reviewing the security of NHS prescriptions.
- The provider had safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
- The provider had staff recruitment procedures which reflected current legislation.
- The clinical staff provided patients’ care and treatment in line with current guidelines. Improvements could be made to the quality of dental care records.
- 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 provider asked staff and patients for feedback about the services they provided.
There were areas where the provider could make improvements. They should:
- Improve the security of NHS prescription pads in the practice and ensure there are systems in place to track and monitor their use.
- Improve 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’ (In particular, waste segregation, validation of sterilisation cycles and processes for auditing).
- Take action to ensure the clinicians take into account the guidance provided by the Faculty of General Dental Practice when completing dental care records, and audit these effectively.