Ashid Hussain and Asif Saleem

We carried out this announced comprehensive inspection on 8 August 2023 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 advisor.

To get to the heart of patients’ experiences of care and treatment, we always ask the following 5 questions:

• Is it safe?
• Is it effective?
• Is it caring?
• Is it responsive to people’s needs?
• Is it well-led?

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

Our findings were:

• The dental clinic appeared clean, tidy and well-maintained.
• The practice had infection control procedures which reflected published guidance.
• Staff knew how to deal with medical emergencies. Appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment were available. Additional equipment for practices who provide conscious sedation was obtained after the inspection.
• The systems to identify and manage risks for patients, staff, and equipment were not working effectively.
• Safeguarding processes were in place and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
• The practice had staff recruitment procedures which reflected current legislation. Improvements could be made for ensuring appropriate indemnity cover is in place.
• Clinical staff provided patients’ care and treatment in line with current guidelines. Systems to obtain evidence of up-to-date training and performance management required improvement.
• Patients were treated with dignity and respect. Staff took care to protect patients’ privacy and personal information.
• Staff provided preventive care and supported patients to ensure better oral health.
• The appointment system worked efficiently to respond to patients’ needs.
• The frequency of appointments was agreed between the dentist and the patient, giving due regard to National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines.
• Staff felt involved, supported and worked as a team.
• Staff and patients were asked for feedback about the services provided.
• Complaints were dealt with positively and efficiently.
• The practice had information governance arrangements.

Background

Ashid Hussain and Asif Saleem (known locally as Market Place Dental Practice) is in Ramsbottom and provides NHS and private dental care and treatment for adults and children. The practice also has an NHS contract to provide minor oral surgery services.

There is step free access to the practice for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. Car parking spaces, including dedicated parking for disabled people, are available near the practice. The practice has made reasonable adjustments to support patients with access requirements. There are 2 treatment rooms and a disabled toilet on the ground floor.

The dental team includes 9 dentists including 4 oral surgeons and a foundation dentist, 8 dental nurses including 3 trainees, 1 dental hygienist, 1 practice manager and 3 receptionists. The practice has 7 treatment rooms.

During the inspection we spoke with 2 dentists, 2 dental nurses, 1 receptionist and the practice manager. We looked at practice policies, procedures and other records to assess how the service is managed.

The practice is open:

Monday to Thursday 9am to 5.30pm

Friday 9am to 5pm

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.

Full details of the regulation the provider was not meeting are at the end of this report.

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

• Improve the practice's processes for the control of substances hazardous to health identified by the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002, to ensure risk assessments can be quickly located in the event of an incident, and products are used in line with manufacturer’s instructions.