Archived: Dr Claire Rumley - Stratford Road

Updated 19 July 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 17 May 2016. The inspection team consisted of a Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspector and a dental specialist advisor. Prior to the inspection, we reviewed information we held about the provider. We informed NHS England area team that we were inspecting the practice and we did not receive any information of concern from them. We asked the practice to send us some information that we reviewed. This included the complaints they had received in the last 12 months, their latest statement of purpose, and the details of their staff members including proof of registration with their professional bodies.

During our inspection we toured the premises; we reviewed policy documents and staff records and spoke with five members of staff, including the registered person who is the only dentist working at the practice. We looked at the storage arrangements for emergency medicines and equipment. We were shown the decontamination procedures for dental instruments.

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 19 July 2016

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 17 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

Claire Rumley dental practice is a small NHS dental practice located in the Hall Green area of Birmingham. The provider, Claire Rumley is one of three dentists who work in the same building under a separate registration with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Some of the facilities and staff are shared between each practice located in the building. For example the receptionist, reception area, toilets, staff room, waiting area and first floor X-ray facilities are used by all three dental practices under an expense sharing agreement. This report will make references to the practice but this inspection only related to the services provided by Dr Claire Rumley.

The practice is located on the ground floor, with one treatment room and provides regulated dental services to both adults and children. Three qualified dental nurses and a receptionist work alongside the dentist. The practice’s opening hours are: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday: 8.30am to 5.30pm; and Wednesday: 8.30am to 1pm.

The dentist is registered with the 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 52 patients about the services provided. This was through CQC comment cards left at the practice prior to the inspection and by speaking with patients in the practice.

Our key findings were:

• Systems were in place for the recording and learning from significant events and accidents.
• There were sufficient numbers of suitably qualified staff to meet the needs of patients.
• The practice had the necessary equipment for staff to deal with medical emergencies, and staff had been trained how to use that equipment. This included an automated external defibrillator, oxygen and emergency medicines.
• Feedback from patients about their experiences at the practice was positive. Patients said they were treated with dignity and respect.
• The dentist identified the treatment options, and discussed these with patients.
• The practice was visibly clean and well maintained.
• The practice followed the relevant guidance from the Department of Health's: ‘Health Technical Memorandum 01-05 (HTM 01-05) for infection control with regard to cleaning and sterilizing dental instruments.
• There was a whistleblowing policy accessible to all staff. Staff were aware of procedures to follow if they had any concerns.
• The appointment system met the needs of patients and waiting times were kept to a minimum.

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

• Review the current legionella risk assessment and implement the required actions including the monitoring and recording of water temperatures, giving due regard to the guidelines issued by the Department of Health - Health Technical Memorandum 01-05: Decontamination in primary care dental practices and The Health and Social Care Act 2008: ‘Code of Practice about the prevention and control of infections and related guidance.
• Review its responsibilities as regards to the Control of Substance Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002, ensure all documentation is up to date and staff understand how to minimise risks associated with the use of and handling of these substances.
• Review procedures to ensure that the practice is in compliance with its legal obligations under Ionising Radiation Regulations (IRR) 99 and Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulation (IRMER) 2000.
• Review the storage of dental care records to ensure this is secure in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998.
• Review its responsibilities to the needs of people with a disability and the requirements of the equality Act 2010 and ensure a Disability Discrimination Act audit is undertaken for the premises.