Atlantic Dental Practice - Picton

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. The practice should implement a system to ensure patient referrals to other dental or health care professionals are centrally monitored to ensure they are received in a timely manner and not lost. The dentists confirmed, where applicable, they referred patients to a range of specialists in primary and secondary care for treatment the practice did not provide. However, upon reviewing the online referral system, we were not assured the referral system was being used effectively to ensure these are sent, followed up appropriately and rejected referrals acted on in a timely way. Staff told us how they kept up to date with current evidence-based practice. The practice 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. Staff worked together and with other health and social care professionals to deliver effective care and treatment. 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.

Staff had the skills, knowledge and experience to carry out their roles. The practice had systems to keep dental professionals up to date with current evidence-based practice. We looked at a selection of patient care records. The information recorded in these patient care records was in line with recognised guidance. 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 handling and prescribing of medicines. NHS prescription pads were kept securely. A log was in place to monitor and track their use, but this would not enable staff to identify if any prescriptions were missing. 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.