Updated 12 August 2021
We carried out this announced inspection on 27 July 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
Hockerill Dental provides private treatment for adults and children but has a small NHS contract. In addition to general dentistry it also provides dental implants. There is ramp access to the premises for wheelchair users, and a partially accessible toilet.
The dental team includes seven dentists, four dental nurses, two hygienists, a practice manager and reception staff. The practice has three treatment rooms.
The practice is owned by a company 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 Hockerill is one of the dentists.
The practice is open on Mondays and Wednesdays from 8am to 7pm; on Tuesdays and Thursday from 8am to 5pm, and on Fridays from 8am to 3pm. The practice opens on a Saturday by appointment only.
During the inspection we spoke with the practice manager, the governance advisor, two dentists, two dental nurses, and a receptionist. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.
Our key findings were:
- The provider had infection control procedures which reflected published guidance.
- The provider had systems to help them manage risk to patients and staff.
- The provider had safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
- Clinical staff provided patients’ care and treatment in line with current guidelines.
- The provider dealt with complaints positively and efficiently.
- The provider actively sought and valued patient feedback, using it to drive improvement to the service.
- Staff felt involved and supported and worked as a team.
- The provider had effective leadership and a culture of continuous improvement.
There were areas where the provider could make improvements. They should:
- Take action to ensure the dental hygienists are adequately supported by a trained member of the dental team when treating patients in a dental setting taking into account the guidance issued by the General Dental Council.
- Take action to implement any recommendations in the practice's Legionella risk assessment, 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.
- Take action to implement a system to easily identify any lost or missing prescriptions.