Courthouse Dental

We carried out this announced comprehensive inspection on 4 March 2024 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 two specialist dental advisors.

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 practice was visibly clean.
• Improvements were needed to the practice’s infection control procedures.
• Staff knew how to deal with medical emergencies.
• The provider did not operate effective systems to help them manage risk to patients and staff.
• Safeguarding processes were in place and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
• Staff recruitment procedures were not operated effectively.
• The practice did not have arrangements to ensure the safety of the X-ray equipment.
• The practice did not have adequate systems to minimise the risk that could be caused from substances that are hazardous to health.
• The clinicians provided patients’ care and treatment in line with current guidelines.
• The provider did not have effective fire safety management procedures.
• Staff provided preventive care and supported patients to ensure better oral health.
• Staff training was not monitored effectively.
• The practice did not have effective governance and management arrangements.

Background

Courthouse Dental is in Marlow, Buckinghamshire and provides NHS and private dental care and treatment for adults and children.

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.

The dental team includes 5 dentists, 2 dental nurses, -a student dental nurse, 2 dental hygienists, a receptionist and the practice manager.

The practice has 3 treatment rooms.

We looked at practice policies, procedures and other records to assess how the service is managed.

During the inspection we spoke with a dentist, a dental nurse, the student dental nurse and a manager from another of the provider’s locations.

The practice manager and the provider were not present at the practice during our visit.

The practice is open:

• Monday to Friday 9am to 5.30pm

We identified regulations the provider was not complying with. They must:

• Ensure care and treatment is provided in a safe way to patients.
  
• Establish effective systems and processes to ensure good governance in accordance with the fundamental standards of care.
  
• Ensure persons employed in the provision of the regulated activity receive the appropriate training necessary to enable them to carry out the duties.
  
• Ensure recruitment procedures are established and operated effectively to ensure only fit and proper persons are employed and specific information is available regarding each person employed.

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

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

• Improve and develop staff awareness of autism and learning disabilities and ensure all staff receive appropriate training in this.