Village Dental Practice

We carried out this announced comprehensive inspection on 6 July 2023 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. Some improvements could be made in relation to the management of fire safety and Legionella risks.
• 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

Village Dental Practice is part of Riverdale a dental group provider. The practice is in Whickham in Newcastle Upon Tyne and provides NHS and private dental care and treatment for adults and children.

There is step free access to the practice for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. The practice is located close to local transport routes and car parking spaces are available near the practice. The practice has made reasonable adjustments to support patients with access requirements.

The dental team includes 6 dentists, 7 dental nurses including 3 trainees, 1 treatment coordinator/dental nurse, 1 dental hygienist, 2 dental therapists, 1 practice manager/dental nurse and 4 receptionists. The practice has 5 treatment rooms.

During the inspection we spoke with 2 dentists, 2 dental nurses, 1 dental therapist, 2 receptionists and the practice manager. The group compliance manager also attended the inspection. We looked at practice policies, procedures and other records to assess how the service is managed.

The practice is open:

Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 8am to 5.30pm

Thursdays from 8am to 6.30pm

Fridays from 8am to 4.30pm

Saturdays by appointment

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

• Improve the practice's systems for assessing, monitoring and mitigating the various risks arising from the undertaking of the regulated activities. In particular relating to fire safety and Legionella.
• Improve the system for recording, investigating and reviewing incidents or significant events with a view to preventing further occurrences and ensuring that improvements are made as a result.
• Take action to improve the audits of radiography to ensure that, where appropriate, audits have documented learning points and the resulting improvements can be demonstrated.