We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 21 February 2017 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

Jason Old Dental Practice has been providing NHS dental treatment for over 20 years to patients of all ages. The practice is situated in a health centre in Bedlington, Northumberland and has one treatment room, a reception and a waiting room. There is a separate decontamination room which is accessed through the dental surgery. Access for wheelchair users or pushchairs is possible via the step-free access at the front entrance and throughout the health centre. A car park is on-site for staff and patients with allocated disabled parking spaces.

The practice is open Tuesday and Wednesday 0900-1700 and Friday 0900-1230.

The dental team is comprised of a principal dentist, a dental hygienist and three qualified dental nurses one of whom is the receptionist.

The principal dentist is the registered manager. A registered manager is a person who is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to manage the service. 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 reviewed 29 CQC comment cards on the day of our visit; patients were very positive about the staff and standard of care provided by the practice. Patients commented they felt involved in all aspects of their care and found the staff to be helpful, respectful, friendly and were treated in a clean and tidy environment.

Our key findings were:

• Staff were very friendly and enthusiastic about their work.
• The practice was visibly clean and free from clutter.
• The practice had systems for recording incidents and accidents.
• Staff received annual medical emergency training.
• Dental professionals provided treatment in accordance with current professional guidelines.
• Patients could access urgent care when required.
• Complaints were dealt with in an efficient and positive manner.
• An Infection prevention and control policy was in place and sterilisation procedures followed recommended guidance.

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

• Review management of medicines and equipment to manage medical emergencies giving due regard to guidelines issued by the Resuscitation Council (UK), the General Dental Council (GDC) standards for the dental team and the British National Formulary (BNF) guidance for medical emergencies in dental practice.
• Review the practice responsibilities in regards to the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002 to ensure all documentation is present and up to date and staff understand how to minimise risks associated with the use of and handling of these substances.
• Review its audit protocols to ensure learning points are documented and shared with all relevant staff.
• Review the practice’s procedures and protocols for ensuring staff have access to medical emergency equipment whilst undertaking domiciliary visits in line with the guidelines for the delivery of a domiciliary oral healthcare service 2009.
• Review the current legionella risk assessment and implement the required actions 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 the practice’s waste handling policy and procedure to ensure waste is disposed of in accordance with relevant regulations giving due regard to guidance issued in the Health Technical Memorandum 07-01 (HTM 07-01).
• Review staff awareness of the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 and ensure all staff are aware of their responsibilities under the Act as it relates to their role.