St Mary's Dental Practice

We carried out this announced comprehensive inspection on 27 February 2024 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 practice 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 advisor.

To get to the heart of patients’ experiences of care and treatment, we always ask the following 5 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:

• The dental clinic appeared clean and well-maintained.
• The practice had infection control procedures which reflected published guidance.
• Staff knew how to deal with medical emergencies. Appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment were available.
• The practice had systems to manage risks for patients, staff, equipment and the premises.
• Safeguarding processes were in place and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
• The practice had staff recruitment procedures which reflected current legislation.
• Clinical staff provided patients’ care and treatment in line with current guidelines.
• Patients were treated with dignity and respect. Staff took care to protect patients’ privacy and personal information.
• Staff provided preventive care and supported patients to ensure better oral health.
• The appointment system worked efficiently to respond to patients’ needs.
• The frequency of appointments was agreed between the dentist and the patient, giving due regard to National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines.
• There was effective leadership and a culture of continuous improvement.
• Staff felt involved, supported and worked as a team.
• Staff and patients were asked for feedback about the services provided.
• Complaints were dealt with positively and efficiently.
• The practice had information governance arrangements.

Background

The provider is part of a corporate group, Rodericks Dental has a number of dental practices, and this report is about St Mary's Dental Practice.

St Mary's Dental Practice is in Stafford and provides NHS and private dental care and treatment for adults and children.

The services are provided by 2 CQC registered providers at this location. This report only relates to the provision of general dental care provided by St Mary’s Dental Practice (provider – St Mary's Dental Practice Partnership). An additional report is available in respect of the general dental care services which are registered under St Marys Dental Practice (provider – St Marys Practice Ltd).

There is step free 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 practice has made reasonable adjustments to support patients with access requirements.

The dental team includes 5 dentists, 4 qualified dental nurses, 1 trainee dental nurse, 1 dental hygienist and 1 receptionist. The practice has 4 treatment rooms.

During the inspection we spoke with 2 dentists, 1 qualified dental nurse, the dental hygienist and the receptionist. The head of clinical compliance and a compliance manager employed by Rodericks were also in attendance during this inspection. We looked at practice policies, procedures and other records to assess how the service is managed.

The practice is open:

Monday to Thursday from 9am to 5.30pm.

Friday from 9am to 4pm.