Updated 19 July 2017
Background
Moorlands Road Dental Practice is in West Moors and provides NHS treatment to children and private treatment to patients of all ages.
There is level access for people who use wheelchairs and pushchairs. Car parking spaces, including one for patients with disabled badges, are available near the practice.
The dental team includes three dentists, one head dental nurse, three dental nurses, two dental nurses/receptionists, two hygienists, one practice manager/dental nurse, one decontamination technician, one head receptionists and one receptionist. The practice has three treatment rooms.
The practice is owned by an individual who is the principal dentist there. They have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated regulations about how the practice is run.
On the day of inspection we collected 50 CQC comment cards filled in by patients and spoke with five other patients. This information gave us a positive view of the practice.
During the inspection we spoke with one dentist, one head dental nurse, one dental nurse, one dental nurses/receptionists, one practice manager/dental nurse, one decontamination technician, one head receptionists and one receptionist. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.
The practice is open: Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 8:30am to 5pm, Tuesday 8:30am to 5:30pm and Friday 8:30am to 4pm.
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.
- 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 staff and 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. They should:
- Review the practice’s sharps procedures and ensure the practice is in compliance with the Health and Safety (Sharp Instruments in Healthcare) Regulations 2013.
- Review stocks of medicines and equipment and the system for identifying, disposing and replenishing of out-of-date stock.
- Review its responsibilities as regards the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002 and ensure all documentation is up to date and staff understand how to minimise risks associated with the use and handling of these substances.
- Review the practice’s infection control procedures and protocols to take into account guidelines issued by the Department of Health - Health Technical Memorandum 01-05: Decontamination in primary care dental practices and have regard to The Health and Social Care Act 2008: ‘Code of Practice about the prevention and control of infections and related guidance’.
- Review the practices procedures for completing actions arising from the fire safety assessment.