Updated 21 July 2017
We carried out this announced inspection on Monday 5 June 2017 under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. We planned the inspection in response to concerns raised to the CQC and in order 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.
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
Boodles Dental Surgery is in Bradwell Common, Milton Keynes and provides private treatment to patients of all ages. It is one of five practices in the area owned by Boodles Limited.
There is level access for people who use wheelchairs and pushchairs. Car parking spaces, including those for patients with disabled badges, are available in the car park which is shared with the medical centre.
The dental team includes one dentist and a pool of eight nurses and five receptionists who work across all five practices owned by the company. Staff from this practice may be required to work at other dental practices within the company. The practice has one treatment room.
The practice is owned by a company and as a condition of registration must have a person registered with the Care Quality Commission as the registered manager. Registered managers have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated regulations about how the practice is run. At the time of the inspection the practice did not have a registered manager in post. After the inspection we were told by the owner of the practice that an application to register a manager was in the process of being submitted.
On the day of inspection we collected 11 CQC comment cards filled in by patients and spoke with one other patient. This information gave us a positive view of the practice.
During the inspection we spoke with one dentist, two dental nurses (one of whom was assisting with the inspection process. This dental nurse did not work at the practice on a regular basis) and one receptionist. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.
The practice is open: 8.30am to 1pm and 2pm to 5.30pm Monday to Friday.
Our key findings were:
- The practice was clean and well maintained.
- There were sufficient numbers of suitably qualified and competent staff and clinical staff were up-to-date with their continuing professional development.
- 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.
There were areas where the provider could make improvements. They should:
- Review the storage of dental care products requiring refrigeration to ensure they are stored in line with the manufacturer’s guidance and the fridge temperature is monitored and recorded.
- Review the systems in place to meet the needs of patients with hearing difficulties or of those patients who do not speak or understand English.
- Review the systems in place to learn from complaints and incidents.