Archived: Tomlinson Avenue Dental Practice

We carried out this announced inspection on 25 May 2017 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 provider was meeting the legal requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated regulations. The inspection was led by a CQC inspector who was supported by a second CQC inspector.

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

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

Tomlinson Avenue Dental Practice is in Luton, a large town approximately 30 miles north-west of London. It provides NHS treatment to patients of all ages.

There is a slight slope at the front of the building. There is also a step at the entrance. The practice have taken some measures to enable people who use wheelchairs and pushchairs access to the building. This includes a portable ramp. Car parking is available on the street directly outside the premises and within the near vicinity.

The dental team includes two dentists, two dental nurses, and one receptionist. The practice has two treatment rooms, one located on the ground floor.

The practice is owned by an individual who is the principal dentist there. They have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated regulations about how the practice is run.

On the day of inspection we collected 41 CQC comment cards filled in by patients. This information gave us a consistently positive view of the practice.

During the inspection we spoke with two dentists, one dental nurse and the receptionist. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.

The practice is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm.

Our key findings were:

• The practice ethos included the provision of high quality dental care where patients needs were understood and patients were involved in decisions about their care.
• Effective leadership was evident in most areas of the practice. We noted areas where management arrangements could also be strengthened.
• Staff had been trained to deal with emergencies and appropriate medicines were readily available in accordance with current guidelines. We found there were some items of equipment missing that required obtaining.
• The practice appeared clean and well maintained.
• The practice had infection control procedures which reflected current published guidance.
• Staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding adults and children living in vulnerable circumstances although not all staff had been trained to an appropriate level to manage safeguarding concerns.
• Clinical staff provided dental care in accordance with current professional and National Institute for Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines.
• The practice demonstrated awareness of some of the needs of the local population and took these into account when delivering the service. We noted further measures were required to ensure that all of the needs of the local population were taken into account.
• Patients had access to treatment and urgent and emergency care when required.
• Staff received most training appropriate to their roles and were supported in their continued professional development (CPD) by the practice.
• Staff we spoke with felt supported by the provider and were committed to providing a quality service to their patients.
• The practice asked patients for feedback about the services they provided. Information we obtained from 41 Care Quality Commission cards provided positive feedback. We did not receive any negative feedback about the practice.

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

• Review the practice’s system for recording, investigating and reviewing incidents and significant events with a view to preventing further occurrences and ensuring that improvements are made as a result.

• Review staff training to ensure that all of the staff had undergone relevant training, to an appropriate level, in the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults; and ensure awareness of the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005.
• Implement recommendations contained in the radiation safety annual report and fire safety report.
• Review the processes for storage and audit of NHS prescriptions.
• Review its responsibilities to the needs of people with a disability, including those with hearing difficulties and the requirements of the Equality Act 2010.