The Hub

Updated 9 June 2016

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the practice was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

We carried out an announced, comprehensive inspection on 3 May 2016. The inspection team consisted of a Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspector and a dental specialist advisor.

Before the inspection we asked the practice for information to be sent, this included the complaints the practice had received in the last 12 months; their latest statement of purpose; the details of the staff members, their qualifications and proof of registration with their professional bodies.

During the inspection we spoke with three dentists, five dental nurses and the practice manager. We reviewed policies, procedures and other documents. We received feedback from 28 patients about the dental service.

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 therefore formed the framework for the areas we looked at during the inspection.

Updated 9 June 2016

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 3 May 2016 to ask the practice the following key questions; Are services safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led?

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

The Hub is a private dental practice situated in the centre of Milton Keynes. It occupies a commercial unit and offers a variety of specialist treatments as well as general dentistry. These include dental implants (metal posts that are place surgically into the jaw in order to support false teeth, or an individual tooth) and treatment under conscious sedation (treatments where a sedative medicine is given to relax the patient whilst maintaining verbal contact at all time).

The practice was first registered with the Care Quality Commission in April 2011.

The practice is open 7 days a week: 7.30 am to 7.30 pm from Monday to Friday, 7.30 am to 5.30 pm on Saturday and 9.00 am to 5.30 pm on Sundays and Bank Holidays.

Outside normal working hours patients are directed to call the principal dentist on his mobile phone. The number of which is available on the practice website, and patient information leaflet, as well as being displayed on the front door of the practice.

The practice has three dedicated treatment rooms, and a fourth multi-purpose room that was used for decontamination, taking X-rays and consultations.

The principal dentist is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) as an individual. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the practice is run.

We received positive feedback from 28 patients through comment cards that were placed in the practice for the two weeks preceding our visit.

Our key findings were:

• The practice was open 7 days a week 365 days of the year so patients were able to access the service and emergency care any day, including Christmas Day.

• Patients commented that staff were friendly and helpful, and put nervous patients at ease.

• The practice had medicines and equipment in order to treat medical emergencies in line with published guidance.

• Infection control procedures were carried out in accordance with published guidance, and audited six monthly to ensure they remained effective.

• There was appropriate equipment for staff to undertake their duties, and equipment was well maintained.

• All staff had undertaken training in safeguarding and the mental capacity act, staff had a good understanding of how to raise a safeguarding concern, and when they would do so.

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There were areas where the provider could make improvements and should:

• Review the practice’s system for the recording, investigating and reviewing of incidents or significant events with a view to preventing further occurrences and, ensuring that improvements are made as a result.

• Review the practice's recruitment policy and procedures and consider if the recruitment arrangements are in line with Schedule 3 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 to ensure necessary employment checks are in place for all staff and the required specified information in respect of persons employed by the practice is held.

• Review the practice’s protocols for medicines management and ensure all medicines are stored appropriately.

• Review the training, learning and development needs of individual staff members and have an effective process established for the on-going assessment of all staff.