Updated 2 February 2018
We carried out this announced inspection on 15 January 2018 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.
We told the NHS England area team and Healthwatch that we were inspecting the practice. They did not provide any information of concern.
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
Armley Dental Practice is in Leeds and provides NHS and private treatment to adults and children.
Due to the nature of the premises, access for people who use wheelchairs or those with restricted mobility is limited. Wheelchair users or those with restricted mobility are signposted to a local sister practice which is accessible.
Car parking spaces are available near the practice.
The dental team includes three dentists, three dental nurses and a practice manager. The practice has two treatment rooms.
The practice is owned by a partnership and as a condition of registration must have a person registered with the Care Quality Commission 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 Armley Dental Practice was the practice manager.
On the day of inspection we collected six CQC comment cards filled in by patients. This information gave us a positive view of the practice.
During the inspection we spoke with two dentists, two dental nurses and the practice manager. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.
The practice is open:
Monday from 8:00am to 6:30p,m
Tuesday to Friday from 8:00am to 5:00pm
Our key findings were:
- The practice was clean and well maintained.
- The practice had infection control procedures which reflected published guidance.
- Staff knew how to deal with emergencies. Appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment were available. Improvements could be made to the process for checking emergency equipment.
- The practice had systems to help them manage risk.
- The practice had suitable safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding adults and children.
- The practice 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.
- The appointment system met patients’ needs.
- The practice had effective leadership. Staff felt involved and supported and worked well as a team.
- The practice asked patients for feedback about the services they provided.
- The practice dealt with complaints positively and efficiently.
There were areas where the provider could make improvements and should:
- Review the practice’s protocols for checking medical emergency equipment.
- Review the practice's recruitment procedures to ensure Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks are obtained at the point of employment.
- Review its complaint handling procedures and ensure all documentation relating to complaints is stored appropriately.