Updated 7 July 2021
We carried out this announced focussed inspection on 10 June 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
Levine & Leslie Dental Surgery is in Leeds and provides private dental care and treatment for adults and children.
There is level access to the practice for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. Car parking spaces are available near the practice.
The dental team includes three dentists, two dental nurses, one dental hygienist, and one receptionist. The practice has two 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 Levine & Leslie Dental Surgery is one of the company directors.
During the inspection we spoke with one dentist, two dental nurses, and the registered manager. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.
The practice is open:
Monday to Friday from 9am to 5:30pm
Our key findings were:
- The practice appeared to be visibly clean and well-maintained.
- The provider had infection control procedures. We identified some minor areas for improvements within these procedures.
- 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. Improvements could be made to the process for managing the risks associated with Legionella.
- The provider had safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
- The provider had staff recruitment procedures. Minor improvements were required to the process for obtaining Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks.
- The clinical staff provided patients’ care and treatment in line with current guidelines.
- Staff provided preventive care and supported patients to ensure better oral health.
- The appointment system took account of patients’ needs.
- The provider had effective leadership and a culture of continuous improvement.
- Staff felt involved and supported and worked as a team.
- The provider asked staff and patients for feedback about the services they provided.
- The provider had information governance arrangements.
There were areas where the provider could make improvements. They should:
- Improve the practice’s infection control procedures and protocols 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’. In particular, the general flow within the decontamination room.
- 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’. In particular, monthly water temperature testing from sentinel outlets.
- Implement an effective recruitment procedure to ensure that appropriate checks are completed prior to new staff commencing employment at the practice. In particular, ensuring Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks are of the correct level and within in three months of the point of application.