Updated 31 May 2017
We carried out this announced inspection on 9 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 specialist dental adviser.
We told the NHS England area team and Healthwatch that we were inspecting the practice. They did not provide any information of concern.
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
Honour Health, Stanley is located in County Durham and provides NHS and private treatment to patients of all ages.
There is level access for people who use wheelchairs and pushchairs. Car parking spaces are available on the side streets near the practice.
The dental team includes the principal dentist, six dentists, 11 dental nurses (one of whom works as an administration manager), a dental therapist, a patient care co-ordinator and four receptionists. There are various managerial staff to over-see business development, operations, finance and marketing. The practice has seven treatment rooms over three floors.
The practice is owned by an individual who is the principal dentist 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 13 CQC comment cards filled in by patients. This information gave us a positive view of the practice.
During the inspection we spoke with the principal dentist, the operations manager, three dentists, four dental nurses, the dental therapist, two receptionists and the patient care co-ordinator. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.
The practice is open Monday to Friday 0900-1800.
Our key findings were:
- The practice was clean and well maintained.
- The practice had infection control procedures which reflected published guidance.
- Staff knew how to deal with emergencies. Appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment were available.
- The practice had systems to help them manage risk.
- The practice had suitable safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding adults and children.
- The clinical staff provided patients’ care and treatment in line with current guidelines.
- Staff treated patients with dignity and respect and took care to protect their privacy and personal information.
- The appointment system met patients’ needs.
- The practice had effective leadership. Staff felt involved and supported and worked well as a team.
- The practice asked staff and patients for feedback about the services they provided.
- The practice dealt with complaints positively and efficiently.
- The practice was involved in various research and educational programmes, including training for newly qualified dentists.
- Care was provided as part of the NHS prototyping pilot to increase access and improve dental health.
There were areas where the provider could make improvements. They should:
- Review the practice’s waste handling policy and procedure to ensure waste is segregated and disposed of in accordance with relevant regulations giving due regard to guidance issued in the Health Technical Memorandum 07-01 (HTM 07-01).
- Review the practice's recruitment policy and procedures to ensure character references and photo identification are requested and recorded suitably.
- Review the practice’s procedures for lone workers and consider implementing a policy and risk assessment for domestic staff.
- Review use of rectangular collimation by all dentists within the practice.