Perry House Dental Surgery

We carried out this announced focused inspection on 8 April 2022 under section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions.

We planned the inspection to check whether the registered practice was meeting the legal requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated regulations. The inspection was led by a Care Quality Commission, (CQC), inspector who was supported by a specialist dental adviser.

To get to the heart of patients’ experiences of care and treatment, we usually ask five key questions, however due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and to reduce time spent on site, only the following three questions were asked:

• Is it safe?

• Is it effective?

• Is it well-led?

These questions form the framework for the areas we look at during the inspection.

Our findings were:

• Staff provided preventive care and supported patients to ensure better oral health.
• Staff felt involved and supported by the provider.
• The provider asked staff and patients for feedback about the services they provided.
• The dental clinic was visibly clean and well-maintained.
• Staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
• The clinical staff provided patients’ care and treatment in line with current guidelines.
• Patients were treated with dignity and respect.
• Staff provided preventive care and supported patients to ensure better oral health.
• The practice had implemented some systems to assess, monitor and manage risks to patient and staff safety.
• The appointment system took account of patients’ needs.
• Staff felt involved and supported and worked as a team.
• Staff and patients were asked for feedback about the services provided.
• The provider’s information governance arrangements were not operated effectively.
• Appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment were not available.
• The provider did not have systems in place to ensure staff had completed training relevant to their roles.
• The provider’s staff recruitment procedures were not operated effectively.
• The provider did not have effective leadership and a culture of continuous improvement.

Background

Perry House Dental Surgery is in Wendover near Aylesbury and provides private dental care and treatment for adults and children.

The practice is based on the first floor. We were told new patients are advised of this when they contacted the practice.

A hearing loop was available to support patients who wore hearing aids.

The dental team includes two dentists, two dental nurses, one dental hygienist and a receptionist. The practice has two treatment rooms.

During the inspection we spoke with a dentist, two dental nurses, a temporary dental hygienist, and a receptionist. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.

The practice is open:

• Monday - 8.30am to 5.30pm
• Tuesday - 8.30am to 5.30pm
• Wednesday - 8.30am to 5.30pm
• Thursday - 8.30am to 4.00pm
• Friday - 8.30am to 12.00pm

We identified regulations the provider was not complying with. They must:

• Establish effective systems and processes to ensure good governance in accordance with the fundamental standards of care.
  
  

There were areas where the provider could make improvements. They should:

• Implement protocols regarding the prescribing and recording of antibiotic medicines taking into account guidance provided by the Faculty of General Dental Practice in respect of antimicrobial prescribing.

The provider accepted the clinical and managerial issues raised and started to take action to address these.

They advised that in order to improve the governance management of the practice would include recruiting a dental compliance company to ensure improvements will be made.

Where evidence is sent that shows the relevant issues have been acted on, we have stated this in our report but we cannot say that the practice is compliant for that key question as this would not be an accurate reflection of what was found on the day of our inspection.