The Care Quality Commission
  • Dentist
  • Dentist

Dental Practice

177 Medomsley Road, Consett, County Durham, DH8 5HU (01207) 502672

Provided and run by:
Mr. Sanjeeb Nepali

All Inspections

15 July 2019

During a routine inspection

We carried out this announced inspection on 15 July 2019 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.

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

Dental Practice -Consett provides NHS and private treatment to adults and children.

There is level access for people via a portable ramp for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. Car parking and public transport facilities are available near the practice.

The dental team includes five dentists, seven dental nurses (two of whom are trainees), one dental hygienist, two receptionists and a practice manager. The practice has five treatment rooms.

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 21 CQC comment cards filled in by patients.

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

The practice is open:

Monday -Tuesday 9am-7pm, Wednesday 9am-5:30pm, Thursday 8:30am-5pm and Friday from 8:30am to 4:30pm.

Our key findings were:

  • The practice appeared clean and well maintained.
  • The provider had infection control procedures which reflected published guidance. Improvements could be made to adherence to the legionella risk assessment.
  • Staff knew how to deal with emergencies. Appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment were available.
  • The provider had systems to help them manage risk to patients and staff with the exception of an up to date fixed wiring certificate and X-ray procedures in one surgery reflecting current practice.
  • The provider had suitable safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
  • The provider had thorough staff recruitment procedures.
  • 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.
  • Staff provided preventive care and supporting patients to ensure better oral health.
  • The appointment system took account of patients’ needs.
  • The provider had effective leadership and culture of continuous improvement.
  • Staff felt involved and supported and worked well as a team.
  • The provider asked staff and patients for feedback about the services they provided.
  • The provider dealt with complaints positively and efficiently.
  • The provider had suitable information governance arrangements.

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

  • Review the practice's protocols and procedures for the use of X-ray equipment in compliance with The Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017 and Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2017 and taking into account the guidance for Dental Practitioners on the Safe Use of X-ray Equipment.

24 July 2014

During an inspection looking at part of the service

At the last inspection in October 2013 we found that the practice was not always obtaining the necessary Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks.

We visited the practice to review the action the provider had taken to improve recruitment procedures. We found recruitment and selection policies and procedures were effective. This protected vulnerable people who used the service.

30 October 2013

During a routine inspection

We found out what people thought of the practice by reviewing the results of patient feedback surveys. People said things like, 'Very helpful staff ' a good practice,' 'I like the new people they have new ideas and latest treatments' and 'Staff are helpful and good.'

Patients were given different treatment options and these were always explained to them as well as the cost. One person said, 'Good practice; I can have (NHS) and private treatment,'

We watched how the staff dealt with people as they arrived. We saw they were very friendly and polite, putting people at their ease. Patients had made comments about 'very helpful' staff and they said staff were 'reassuring.'

We saw there were safeguarding procedures in place. There was also on-going training and support for staff to help keep them up-to-date with best practice. One of the dentists told us about the training he had undertaken and described the steps which would be taken if he or any of the staff saw or suspected abuse had taken place.

Recruitment procedures were not robust and did not protect vulnerable people who used the service.

The practice was clean and well maintained with good procedures in place to prevent cross infection.

We saw staff at the practice were properly trained, worked to a professional code of conduct and kept their skills updated. One dentist told us, 'All staff at the practice have good access to training and development and we have regular training days where all members of the team undertake training or development together.'

There were measures in place to make sure the quality of the service received by patients was maintained or improved. Patients were regularly asked their views and their responses were used to plan and make improvements.