Arrow Dental Practice

On this page

• Overview
• Assessing needs
• Delivering evidence-based care and treatment
• How staff, teams and services work together
• Supporting people to live healthier lives
• Monitoring and improving outcomes
• Consent to care and treatment

We found this practice was providing effective care in accordance with the relevant regulations and had taken into consideration appropriate guidance.

Find out what we look at when we assess this area in our information about our new Single assessment framework.

The judgement for Assessing needs is based on the latest evidence we assessed for the Effective key question.

The provider had systems to ensure that people who used the service received person-centred care and treatment that was appropriate, met their needs and was reflective of their personal preferences. Clinical staff provided preventive care and supported patients to ensure better oral health. Staff were aware of national oral health campaigns and local schemes which supported patients to live healthier lives. The practice had been involved with several pilot schemes, including one which aimed to reduce the consumption of sugary drinks in children and another which looked at how the dental team can help patients reduce their alcohol consumption. It was clear to the inspection team that prevention was a priority to the team. Staff worked together and with other health and social care professionals to deliver effective care and treatment. The dentist told us they referred patients to a range of specialists in primary and secondary care for treatment the practice did not provide. Staff told us how they kept up to date with current evidence-based practice. Relevant alerts from the Medicines and Healthcare product Regulatory Agency (MHRA) were printed out by the receptionist and disseminated to the wider team. Staff felt the practice supported them to develop and enabled them to take on lead roles and responsibilities. Some staff had been supported and trained to become oral health educators. Another staff member had been encouraged and supported to train as a dental hygienist. Staff demonstrated their understanding of the need to obtain patients’ consent to care and treatment in line with legislation and guidance. They understood their responsibilities under the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Staff described how they involved patients’ relatives or carers when appropriate and made sure they had enough time to explain treatment options clearly.

We looked at 13 patient care records. The information recorded in these patient care records was broadly in line with recognised guidance. We found that patient care records did not always record that a screening for periodontal disease had been carried out, through the use of a Basic Periodontal Examination. The service had completed an audit of record keeping, and already identified that improvements were required to ensure that patient records were consistent. The audit had identified that social history risks and advice had not always been recorded, and action had been taken to address this. The principal dentist had enrolled on record keeping courses to help drive improvement with record keeping. Staff obtained patients’ consent to care and treatment in line with legislation and guidance. They understood their responsibilities under the Mental Capacity Act 2005. We saw evidence the dentists justified, graded and reported on the radiographs they took. The practice had systems for the safe prescribing of medicines. NHS prescription pads were kept securely, and a log was in place to monitor and track their use. Staff worked together and with other health and social care professionals to deliver effective care and treatment. The practice had systems for referring patients with suspected cancer under the national two-week wait arrangements.

The judgement for How staff, teams and services work together is based on the latest evidence we assessed for the Effective key question.

The judgement for Supporting people to live healthier lives is based on the latest evidence we assessed for the Effective key question.

The judgement for Monitoring and improving outcomes is based on the latest evidence we assessed for the Effective key question.

The judgement for Consent to care and treatment is based on the latest evidence we assessed for the Effective key question.