Updated 24 October 2019
We carried out this announced inspection on 7 August 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
Bright Smile Dental Hygiene Practice is in Ryde, on the Isle of Wight and provides private treatment to adults and children.
Car parking spaces, including those for blue badge holders, are available near the practice.
The dental team includes one dental hygienist, one dental nurse and one decontamination technician. The practice has one treatment room.
The practice is owned by an individual who is the dental hygienist. They have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated regulations about how the practice is run.
On the day of inspection, we collected 25 CQC comment cards filled in by patients and spoke with two other patients.
During the inspection we spoke with one dental hygienist, one decontamination and a compliance advisor. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.
The practice is open:
Monday and Tuesday closed
Wednesday to Friday 9am to 5.30am
Our key findings were:
- The practice appeared clean and well maintained.
- The provider had infection control procedures which reflected 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.
- 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.
- Improvements could be made to the auditing of dental care notes and infection prevention and control in line with guidelines.
- Improvements could be made to the dental care records to ensure the content reflected guidance.
- Staff provided preventive care and supported patients to ensure better oral health.
- The appointment system took account of patients’ needs.
- Improvements could be made to the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002 file to ensure the safe storage and use of materials used.
- 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:
- Improve the practice's processes for the control and storage of substances hazardous to health identified by the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002, to ensure risk assessments are undertaken and the products are stored securely.
- Take action to ensure the clinicians take into account the guidance provided by the Faculty of General Dental Practice when completing dental care records.
- Take action to ensure audits of patient dental care records and infection prevention and control are undertaken at regular intervals to improve the quality of the service. Practice should also ensure that, where appropriate, audits have documented learning points and the resulting improvements can be demonstrated.
- Improve the practice's systems for assessing, monitoring and mitigating the various risks arising from the undertaking of the regulated activities. In particular when working with patient alone.