Updated 13 August 2019
We carried out this announced inspection on 16 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
Regent Road Orthodontic Practice is a well-established practice that provides mostly NHS treatment to patients. The dental team includes two specialist orthodontists, an orthodontic therapist, four dental nurses and a practice manager. There are two treatment rooms and the practice opens on Monday to Friday from 9 am to 5 pm.
The practice is owned by an individual who is the principal orthodontist there. He has 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 received feedback from 41 patients. We spoke with the principal orthodontist, the practice manager and two dental nurses.
We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.
Our key findings were:
- Information from completed Care Quality Commission comment cards gave us a positive picture of a caring and professional service.
- The practice was clean and well maintained.
- The practice had effective systems to help ensure patient safety. These included safeguarding children and adults from abuse, managing fire and legionella risk, and controlling infection.
- Patients’ needs were assessed, and care was planned and delivered in line with current best practice guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the British Orthodontic Society and other published guidance.
- Patients received their care and treatment from well supported staff, who enjoyed their work.
- The provider asked staff and patients for feedback about the services they provided.
- Members of the dental team were up-to-date with their continuing professional development and were supported to meet the requirements of their professional registration.
There were areas where the provider could make improvements and should:
- Review the practice’s system for recording, investigating and reviewing incidents or significant events with a view to preventing further occurrences and ensuring that improvements are made as a result.
- Review the security of NHS prescription pads in the practice and ensure there are systems in place to track and monitor their use.
- Review staff awareness of Gillick competency and the Mental Capacity Act and ensure all staff are aware of their responsibilities in relation to this.
- Review the practice’s protocols to ensure audits of dental care records, and infection prevention and control are undertaken at regular intervals to highlight improvements that may be needed.