Montreal Dental Care

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 16 November 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 safe care in accordance with the relevant regulations

Are services caring?

We found that this practice was providing safe care in accordance with the relevant regulations

Are services responsive?

We found that this practice was providing safe care in accordance with the relevant regulations

Are services well-led?

We found that this practice was providing safe care in accordance with the relevant regulations

Background

Montreal Dental Care is situated in Chapel Allerton which is on the outskirts of Leeds. The dental practice comprises of a reception and waiting area, four treatment rooms, a decontamination room, a staff room, toilet facilities and a baby changing area. The premises have been adapted to accommodate wheelchair users, including step free access to the premises, toilet facilities, a lowered reception desk and a special chair that enables treatment to be carried out in a more upright position.

The practice provides NHS and private dentistry. There are four dentists and two hygiene/therapists who are supported by five dental nurses, one of whom is the practice manager and reception staff. Montreal Dental Care is a training practice, they accommodate one foundation dentist each year.

The practice is open from 8.45am to 12.45pm and 2pm to 5.15pm Monday to Thursday, the practice closes at 5pm on Fridays. When the practice is closed, the answerphone directs patients to the NHS 111 service.

The practice is a member of a ‘Good Practice’ accreditation scheme. This is a quality assurance scheme that demonstrates a visible commitment to providing quality dental care to nationally recognised standards.

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.

Before the inspection we sent Care Quality Commission comment cards to the practice for patients to complete to tell us about their experience of the practice. We received feedback from 25 patients. These provided a completely positive view of the services the practice provides.

Patients commented on the high quality of care, the caring nature of all staff, the cleanliness of the practice and the overall high quality of customer care.

Our key findings were:

• Patients were pleased with the care and treatment they received at the practice.
• Feedback from patients highlighted the practice supported patients to make decisions based on the treatment options available.
• Staff demonstrated a patient-centred approach in the way they worked and showed commitment to providing a quality service to their patients.
• Well organised governance arrangements were in place at the practice.
• Staff said they were well supported and the team worked well together.
• There were sufficient numbers of suitably qualified staff to meet the needs of patients.
• The practice had systems and resources in place to assess and manage risks to patients and staff including, infection prevention and control, health and safety and the management of medical emergencies.
• Oral health advice and treatment were provided in-line with the ‘Delivering Better Oral Health’ toolkit (DBOH).
• The practice was exceptionally clean, clutter-free and well maintained.
• Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned and delivered in line with current professional guidelines.
• The practice had effective safeguarding processes in place and staff understood their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
• Staff had received training appropriate to their roles and were supported in their continued professional development (CPD).
• A policy and process was in place for managing complaints.

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

• Review the procedures for checking emergency equipment to manage medical emergencies giving due regard to guidelines issued by the Resuscitation Council (UK), and the General Dental Council (GDC) standards for the dental team.