• Dentist
  • Dentist

Woolton Dental Practice

116 Allerton Road, Woolton, Liverpool, Merseyside, L25 7RH (0151) 428 6309

Provided and run by:
Dr. Omar Butt

All Inspections

During an assessment under our new approach

We had previously undertaken an unannounced focused on-site assessment on 11 June 2024, where we only covered the safe key line of enquiry. We found the practice had met all regulations related to the safety of the service. We carried out this announced on-site assessment on 12 September 2024 to assess effective, caring, responsive and well led. We found the practice had met regulations all regulations. Recruitment procedures reflected current legislation and there was effective leadership and a culture of continuous improvement. Patients were treated with dignity and respect and at the time of our assessment, could access care, support and treatment when required. Patients’ care and treatment was provided in line with current guidance and infection control procedures were in place. The practice had systems to manage risks. The practice is in Liverpool and provides NHS and private dental care and treatment for adults and children. There was step free access to the practice and car parking spaces, including dedicated parking for disabled people, were available near the practice. At the time of our assessment, the dental team included 2 dentists, 1 hygienist, 2 qualified dental nurses, 3 receptionists and 1 practice manager. The practice had 4 treatment rooms. During the assessment we spoke with 1 dentist, 1 dental nurse, 1 receptionist and the practice manager.

During an assessment under our new approach

We carried out this on-site unannounced assessment on 11 June 2024. We found the practice had met regulations. The practice had systems to manage risks. Recruitment procedures reflected current legislation. Infection control procedures followed published guidance. Patients’ care and treatment was provided in line with current guidance. Patients were treated with dignity and respect. At the time of our assessment, patients could access care, support and treatment when required. The practice is in Liverpool and provides NHS and private dental care and treatment for adults and children. At the time of our assessment, the dental team included 3 dentists, 3 dental nurses, 1 practice manager and 2 receptionists. The practice had 4 treatment rooms. During the assessment we spoke with 1 dentist, 2 dental nurses, 1 receptionist and the practice manager.

28 March 2022

During an inspection looking at part of the service

We undertook a follow up focused inspection of Woolton Dental Practice on 28 March 2022. This inspection was carried out to review in detail the actions taken by the registered provider to improve the quality of care and to confirm that the practice was now meeting legal requirements.

The inspection was led by a CQC inspector who was supported by a specialist dental adviser.

We undertook a focussed inspection of Woolton Dental Practice on 27 September 2021 under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. We found the registered provider was not providing well-led care and was in breach of regulation 17 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. You can read our report of that inspection by selecting the 'all reports' link for Woolton Dental Practiceon our website www.cqc.org.uk.

When one or more of the five questions are not met we require the service to make improvements and send us an action plan. We then inspect again after a reasonable interval, focusing on the areas where improvement was required.

As part of this inspection we asked:

• Is it well-led?

Our findings were:

Are services well-led?

We found this practice was providing well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

The provider had made improvements in relation to the regulatory breach we found at our inspection on 27 September 2021.

Background

Woolton Dental Practice is located in South Liverpool and provides NHS and private treatment for adults and children.

There is level access for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. A small amount of car parking is available near the practice.

The practice has four treatment rooms, two at ground floor level and two at first floor level. The first floor is accessible via a staircase.

The practice is owned by an individual who is the principal dentist there. 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.

During the inspection we spoke with the registered provider. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.

The practice is open:

Monday from 9am to 8pm

Tuesday to Friday from 9am to 6pm

27 September 2021

During an inspection looking at part of the service

We undertook a follow up focused inspection of Woolton Dental Practice on 27 September 2021. This inspection was carried out to review in detail the actions taken by the registered provider to improve the quality of care and to confirm that the practice was now meeting legal requirements.

The inspection was led by a CQC inspector who was supported by a specialist dental adviser.

We undertook a focused inspection of Woolton Dental Practice on 23 April 2021 under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. We found the registered provider was not providing effective or well led care and was in breach of regulation 17 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. You can read our report of that inspection by selecting the 'all reports' link for Woolton Dental Practice on our website www.cqc.org.uk.

As part of this inspection we asked:

• Is it effective?

• Is it well-led?

Our findings were:

Are services effective?

We found this practice was providing effective care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

The provider had made some improvements in relation to the regulatory breach we found at our inspection on 27 September 2021.

Are services well-led?

We found this practice was not providing well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

The provider had made insufficient improvements to put right the shortfalls and had not fully responded to the regulatory breach we found at our inspection on 27 September 2021.

Background

Woolton Dental Practice is located in south Liverpool and provides NHS and private treatment for adults and children.

There is level access for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. A small amount of car parking is available near the practice.

The dental team includes four dentists, six dental nurses, one receptionist, one dental hygienist and a practice manager. The practice has four treatment rooms, two at ground floor level and two at first floor level. The first floor is accessible via a staircase.

The practice is owned by an individual who is the principal dentist there. 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.

During the inspection we spoke with the registered provider. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.

The practice is open:

Monday from 9am to 8pm

Tuesday to Friday from 9am to 6pm

Our key findings were:

  • Some improvements had been made to the system for ensuring dental care records were completed and reflected nationally recognised guidance. Further improvements are needed to ensure this is fully embedded and dental care records always reflect nationally recognised guidance.

We identified regulations the provider was not meeting. They must:

  • Establish effective systems and processes to ensure good governance in accordance with the fundamental standards of care.

Full details of the regulation the provider was not meeting are at the end of this report.

23 April 2021

During an inspection looking at part of the service

We undertook a follow up focused inspection of Woolton Dental Practice on 23 April 2021. This inspection was carried out to review in detail the actions taken by the registered provider to improve the quality of care and to confirm that the practice was now meeting legal requirements.

The inspection was led by a CQC inspector who was supported by a specialist dental adviser.

We undertook a follow-up inspection of the practice on 5 August 2020 under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. We found the registered provider was not providing well led care and was in on-going breach of Regulation 17 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. You can read our report of that inspection by selecting the 'all reports' link for Woolton Dental Practice on our website www.cqc.org.uk.

As part of this inspection we asked:

• Is it effective?

• Is it well-led?

Our findings were:

Are services effective?

We found this practice was not providing effective care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Are services well-led?

We found this practice was not providing well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

The provider had made insufficient improvements to put right all the shortfalls and had not fully responded to the regulatory breach we found at our inspection on 5 August 2020.

Background

Woolton Dental Practice is located in south Liverpool and provides NHS and private treatment for adults and children.

There is level access for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. A small amount of car parking is available near the practice.

The dental team includes four dentists, six dental nurses, one receptionist, one dental hygienist and a practice manager. The practice has four treatment rooms, two at ground floor level and two at first floor level. The first floor is accessible via a staircase.

The practice is owned by an individual who is the principal dentist there. 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.

During the inspection we spoke with two dentists and two receptionists. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.

The practice opens and closes at different times each day:

Monday 9am to 1pm and from 2pm to 7.30pm

Tuesday 8am to 12.30pm and from 1.30pm to 5pm

Wednesday 8.30am to 1pm and from 2pm to 5pm

Thursday 9am to 1pm and from 2pm to 5.30pm

Friday 8am to 12pm and from 1pm to 4.30pm.

The practice also opens on Saturday to accommodate patient demand.

Our key findings were:

  • Improvements had been made to the systems and processes for managing the risks associated with the carrying out of the regulated activities.
  • Improvements had been made to the systems for reducing the risks associated with Covid-19.
  • Improvements had been made to the systems and processes for managing the risks associated with Legionella and radiography.
  • Dental care records were not always contemporaneously completed.
  • The provider had implemented a system of quality assurance; however, this had not been effective in ensuring dental care records were completed appropriately.

We identified regulations the provider was not meeting. They must:

  • Establish effective systems and processes to ensure good governance in accordance with the fundamental standards of care.

Full details of the regulation the provider is not meeting are at the end of this report.

05 August 2020

During an inspection looking at part of the service

We undertook a focused inspection of Woolton Dental Practice on 5 August 2020. We have undertaken enforcement action and have applied conditions to the registration of this provider, in relation to the governance, management and leadership at the practice. The conditions will be reviewed when the Care Quality Commission (CQC) have re-inspected the practice, and are satisfied that governance, management  and leadership have improved.

The inspection was led by a CQC inspector who was supported by a second CQC Inspector and a specialist dental adviser.

We undertook a comprehensive inspection of Woolton Dental Practice on 11 June 2019, under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. We found the registered provider was not providing safe or well-led care and was in breach of regulations 12 and 17 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014.

At a follow-up inspection of the practice on 17 December 2019, we found some improvements had been made in respect of safe care and treatment. The improvements made in relation to governance and leadership of the practice, were insufficient to meet the threshold required, and we found evidence of on-going breaches of Regulation 17 and breaches of Regulation 19 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014.

We visited the practice on 5 August 2020 to assess whether any improvements had been made given the time to review systems, policies and processes.

You can read our report of inspections by selecting the 'all reports' link for Woolton Dental Practice on our website www.cqc.org.uk.

As part of this inspection we asked:

  • Is it safe?
  • Is it well-led?

Our findings were:

Are services safe?

We found this practice was providing safe care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

The provider had made improvements in relation to the regulatory breaches we found at our inspection on 17 December 2019.

Some areas requiring further improvement which fell within the safe key line of enquiry, were due to insufficient management oversight and governance processes. These issues are covered in the well-led key question, below.

Are services well-led?

We found this practice was not providing well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

The provider had made some improvements but these did not address all matters brought to the attention of the provider at our last inspection. We also found some further concerns during this follow-up inspection. The provider had not fully responded to the regulatory breaches we found at our inspection on 17 December 2019.

Background

Woolton Dental Practice is located in south Liverpool and provides NHS and private treatment for adults and children.

There is level access for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. A small amount of car parking is available near the practice.

The dental team includes two dentists, three dental nurses, one receptionist, and one dental hygienist. The practice has four treatment rooms, two at ground floor level and two at first floor level. There is an additional treatment room on the ground floor, but this is not in use. The first floor is accessible via a staircase.

The practice is owned by an individual who is the principal dentist there. 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.

During the inspection we spoke with a dental nurse, a receptionist, the practice manager, the associate dentist and the principal dentist.

The practice opens and closes at different times each day: Monday the practice is open from 9am to 1pm and from 2pm to 7.30pm; Tuesday the practice opens from 8am to 12.30pm and from 1.30pm to 5pm; Wednesday the practice opens from 8.30am to 1pm and from 2pm to 5pm. Thursday the practice is open from 9am to 1pm and from 2pm to 5.30pm; Friday the practice opens from 8am to 12pm and from 1pm to 4.30pm. The practice also opens on Saturday to accommodate patient demand.

Our key findings were:

  • Improvements in relation to recruitment and recruitment records had been made and all required documentation was held by the provider; this included the instances when the provider had used locum staff.
  • All emergency medicines and equipment as described in nationally recognised guidance was ready and available for use.
  • There was a system in place for receipt, sharing and recording emergency medical alerts and notices.
  • There was evidence of practice meetings available for review, supporting communication across the practice.
  • Labels were available for dispensing medicines from the practice. These labels contained all required information about the practice/dispenser, and space was available for inclusion of patient name, medicine, strength, dose and duration of course.
  • Essential checks in relation to gas and electrical safety for the premises had been carried out.
  • Staff had access to sufficient quantities of personal protective equipment and other consumables.
  • A complaints policy was in place and available for staff to refer to.

However, we found there were a number of points identified at our last inspection that the provider had not fully addressed.

  • The policy on whistle blowing had been updated, but still did not contain details on how to contact the General Dental Council (GDC), for staff to refer to if needed.
  • Although local rules for X-ray equipment had been updated, for two of the X-ray sets, the isolation switch for the set was within the controlled area. Local rules had not been adapted to include and mitigate this risk.
  • A redundant X-ray set had not been isolated from its power supply or decommissioned.

We identified further concerns at our inspection on 5 August 2020.

  • The provider was not addressing all known risks as they arose. For example, in relation to risk assessments for staff, risk assessments for vulnerable patients and risks in relation to Legionella management.
  • Policies in relation to COVID security of the practice required review and was not being adhered to by staff.
  • Essential paperwork which a provider must be able to show the regulator was not available; this was in relation to Legionella training, fit testing of respirator masks and log sheets to support their safe use.
  • The provider failed to demonstrate awareness of the guidance for washing re-usable gowns, tunics and scrubs. The provider displayed no awareness of The Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999, in relation to the instalment of a washing machine at the practice, used to launder all staff workwear.
  • A lack of effective systems, processes and audit had failed to identify that an ongoing proportion of clinical patient records did not meet recognised standards.

We identified regulations the provider was not meeting. They must:

  • Establish effective systems and processes to ensure good governance in accordance with the fundamental standards of care.

Full details of the regulation the provider was not meeting are at the end of this report.

17 December 2019

During an inspection looking at part of the service

We undertook a focused inspection of Woolton Dental Practice on 17 December 2019. This inspection was carried out to review in detail the actions taken by the registered provider to improve the quality of care and to confirm that the practice was now meeting legal requirements.

The inspection was led by a CQC inspector who was supported by a specialist dental adviser.

We undertook a comprehensive inspection of Woolton Dental Practice on 11 June 2019 under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. We found the registered provider was not providing safe or well-led care and was in breach of regulations 12 and 17 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. You can read our report of that inspection by selecting the 'all reports' link for Woolton Dental Practice on our website www.cqc.org.uk.

As part of this inspection we asked:

• Is it safe?

• Is it well-led?

When one or more of the five questions are not met we require the service to make improvements and send us an action plan. We then inspect again after a reasonable interval, focusing on the areas where improvement was required.

Our findings were:

Are services safe?

We found this practice was not providing safe care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

The provider had made insufficient improvements to put right the shortfalls we had previously identified and had not responded to the regulatory breaches we found at our inspection on 11 June 2019.

Are services well-led?

We found this practice was not providing well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

The provider had made insufficient improvements to put right the shortfalls we had identified and had not responded to the regulatory breaches we found at our inspection on 11 June 2019.

Background

Woolton Dental Practice is located in south Liverpool and provides NHS and private treatment for adults and children.

There is level access for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. A small amount of car parking is available near the practice.

The dental team includes two dentists, three dental nurses, one trainee dental nurse/receptionist, and one dental hygienist,. The practice has four treatment rooms, two at ground floor level and two at first floor level. There is an additional treatment room on the ground floor, but this is not in use. The first floor is accessible via a staircase.

The practice is owned by an individual who is the principal dentist there. 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.

During the inspection we spoke with the principal dentist, the dental hygienist, a dental nurse and the receptionist.

The practice opens and closes at different times each day. On Monday the practice is open from 9am to 1pm and from 2pm to 7.30pm. On Tuesday the practice opens from 8am to 12.30pm and from 1.30pm to 5pm. Wednesday the practice opens from 8.30am to 1pm and from 2pm to 5pm. Thursday the practice is open from 9am to 1pm and from 2pm to 5.30pm; and on Friday the practice opens from 8am to 12pm and from 1pm to 4.30pm. The practice also opens on Saturday to accommodate patient demand.

Our key findings were:

  • Appropriate lifesaving equipment was available as required.
  • Emergency medicines were available but adrenaline auto-injectors subject to a manufacturer recall had not been removed. There was no replacement adrenaline available in the practice. The provider took steps to address this following inspection.
  • Systems to manage risk to patients and staff at the practice still required further improvement. Some improvement had been made to the reporting of significant events however, further work was required in this area to ensure learning for the provider and all staff involved.
  • Staff had all undergone training in child safeguarding and safeguarding of vulnerable adults, to the required level.
  • A recently recruited staff member could not explain what whistleblowing was and told us they had not been shown a whistleblowing policy.
  • Systems to safely manage stocks of prescription pads were in place.
  • The practice was still dispensing patient medicines without all the required information on the label of the container given to patients.
  • Recruitment checks were not being carried out consistently. Records to support the recruitment process were not held as required. There was no evidence to show that the provider sought assurance of recruitment checks carried out in respect of locum staff, which were being relied on by the provider.
  • There was no audit of antibiotic prescribing or of radiography in place.
  • Governance in relation to radiation protection was still not adequate.
  • Local rules for X-ray equipment at the practice remain insufficient; there was no named Radiation Protection Advisor (RPA) or Medical Physics Expert (MPE).
  • The provider did not have oversight of the required continuing professional development for dentists who used X-ray equipment, or of training required for staff.
  • The provider had not completed Mental Capacity Act training and no date was set for completion of this.
  • There was no gas safety certificate available for the premises.
  • Complaints were not being managed in line with NHS policy guidance.
  • Communication within the practice between provider and staff, remains problematic, with no regular staff meetings in place. Medical alerts and updates were printed off by the provider, but these were not routinely shared with staff at the practice.
  • Staff have experienced problems in relation to receiving wages due to them from the provider. We understand that this has been a factor in some staff leaving and other staff failing to report for duty. This has impacted on appointment availability for patients.
  • Staff have complained of running out of consumables necessary for their daily work.

We identified regulations the provider was not meeting. They must:

  • Establish effective systems and processes to ensure good governance in accordance with the fundamental standards of care.
  • Ensure recruitment procedures are established and operated effectively to ensure only fit and proper persons are employed.
  • Ensure specified information is available regarding each person employed.


Full details of the regulations the provider is not meeting are at the end of this report.

11 June 2019

During a routine inspection

We carried out this announced inspection on 11 June 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 not 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 not providing well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Background

Woolton Dental Practice is situated in the area of Woolton, Liverpool. The service provides NHS and private treatment as well as NHS treatment for those aged under 18.

There is level access for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs, which is provided via a portable ramp. Car parking spaces, including one space for blue badge holders, are available at the rear the practice.

The dental team includes seven dentists, six dental nurses, three of which are at various stages in their training, one dental hygienist, and three receptionists. The practice has four functioning treatment rooms, two at ground floor level and two at first floor level. The first floor is accessible via a staircase.

The practice is owned by an individual who is the principal dentist there. 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 14 CQC comment cards filled in by patients.

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 opens and closes at different times each day. On Monday the practice is open from 9am to 1pm and from 2pm to 7.30pm. On Tuesday the practice opens from 8am to 12.30pm and from 1.30pm to 5pm. Wednesday the practice opens from 8.30am to 1pm and from 2pm to 5pm. Thursday the practice is open from 9am to 1pm and from 2pm to 5.30pm; and on Friday the practice opens from 8am to 12pm and from 1pm to 4.30pm.

Our key findings were:

  • The practice appeared clean.
  • Although the treatment areas were well maintained, some work identified as being required by other stakeholders still required completion. Building works that had started had come to a standstill.
  • 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, but many items of equipment were out of date.
  • The practice had systems to help them manage risk to patients and staff. These were not routinely followed by all.
  • The practice did not adequately report, record and investigate significant events to enable shared learning.
  • Governance around radiation protection required improvement.
  • Prescription pads were not monitored in accordance with NHS guidance. Dispensing of medicines to private patients did not follow recognised guidance.
  • The provider had suitable safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
  • The provider had a staff recruitment policy in place but the evidence and records to support this were not available as required.
  • 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 were providing preventive care and supporting patients to ensure better oral health.
  • The appointment system took account of patients’ needs. Patient feedback on the inspection day indicated that this could be improved.
  • The practice lacked leadership in certain areas. Monitoring and oversight of continuous improvement and all governance processes required improvement.
  • There was no regular practice meeting being held, which hindered good communication across the practice.
  • Staff said they felt supported and worked well as a team.
  • The provider asked patients for feedback about the services they provided but results from feedback were not collated.
  • The complaints handling processes required improvement.
  • Information governance arrangements were in place.
  • The provider could not show us their statement of purpose, or that this had been updated following de-commissioning of a surgery.

We identified regulations the provider was not complying with. They must:

  • Ensure care and treatment is provided in a safe way to patients.
  • Establish effective systems and processes to ensure good governance in accordance with the fundamental standards of care

Full details of the regulations the provider is not meeting are at the end of this report.

There were areas where the provider could make improvements. They should:

  • Introduce protocols regarding the taking into account the guidance provided by the Faculty of General Dental Practice.

  • Review safeguarding training delivered to staff to check that this includes training of safeguarding of vulnerable adults.

  • Introduce and effective system to receive, record, share and discuss alerts and updates in relation to clinical practice.

21 March 2013

During a routine inspection

We spoke with people who used the service. They told us they had been very satisfied with the treatment they had received. Each person we spoke with told us they were given options about their treatment when they visited the dentist. People told us the dentist explained different treatment options that were available and what the treatment entailed. People told us the service had been professional, reliable and friendly and that they felt the dentists and dental nurses were skilled at their jobs. They told us that as 'patients' they had always been made welcome and were reassured by all of the staff at the surgery. People told us they had signed documentation to give their consent to treatment and that staff checked their medical histories and medication on a regular basis. People told us they had always found the surgery to be clean and hygienic and that staff had high standards of cleanliness and infection control. When we looked around the practice we saw evidence that the premises were kept clean. We also saw evidence of effective infection control systems in place and good practice being followed. When we looked at training records we saw evidence that the dentists, dental nurses and trainee dental nurses had been professionally trained to the level their positions required. We also saw that they had completed training in other appropriate courses. We saw evidence that there was a quality assurance system in place that informed the future performance of the service.