Updated 20 November 2019
We undertook a follow up focused inspection of Framlingham Dental Practice on 22 October 2019. This inspection was carried out to review in detail the actions taken by the registered provider to improve the quality of care and to confirm that the practice was now meeting legal requirements.
The inspection was led by a CQC inspector who was supported by a specialist dental adviser.
We undertook a comprehensive inspection of Framlingham Dental Practice on 20 May 2019 under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. We found the registered provider was not providing well led care and was in breach of regulations 12 and 17 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. You can read our report of that inspection by selecting the 'all reports' link for Framlingham Dental Practice on our website www.cqc.org.uk.
As part of this inspection we asked:
• Is it well-led?
If applicable
When one or more of the five questions are not met we require the service to make improvements and send us an action plan (requirement notice only). We then inspect again after a reasonable interval, focusing on the area(s) where improvement was required.
Our findings were:
Are services well-led?
We found this practice was providing well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations.
The provider had made improvements in relation to the regulatory breaches we found at our inspection on 20 May 2019.
We found this practice was providing well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Background
Framlingham Dental Practice is in Framlingham and provides NHS and private treatment to adults and children.
There is level access for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. Car parking spaces, including spaces for blue badge holders, are available in car parks near the practice.
The dental team includes three dentists, two dental nurses and one trainee dental nurse, two hygienists and the reception manager. The practice has four treatment rooms, one room is currently not in use.
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.
During the inspection we spoke with one dental hygienist and the reception manager. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.
The practice is open: Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 5.30pm. The practice opens from 8am on Tuesday mornings. Thursday evening appointments are available by appointment.
Our key findings were:
- 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. In particular we noted recommendations from the legionella risk assessment had been actioned.
- The practice had suitable arrangements to ensure the safety of the X-ray equipment and we saw the required information was in their radiation protection file.
- Audits systems had been reviewed with audits of radiography, dental records and infection prevention and control undertaken to improve the quality of the service. There was scope to ensure audits of antimicrobial audits were undertaken.
- Due to glass panels in three of the four treatment room doors we noted patients could be seen in dental chairs receiving treatment when other patients or visitors to the practice were walking up the stairs and along corridors.
There were areas where the provider could make improvements. They should:
- Introduce protocols regarding the prescribing of antibiotic medicines.