Swakeleys Dental Practice

Judgements

• Safe

  Not all regulations met

• Effective

  Not all regulations met

• Caring

  Regulations met

• Responsive

  Regulations met

• Well-led

  Not all regulations met

Our view of the service

We carried out this announced on-site assessment on 13 September 2024. We found the practice had not met all regulations. Recruitment procedures did not reflect current legislation, there was ineffective leadership and lack of a culture of continuous improvement. The practice did not have effective systems to manage risks and infection control procedures did not follow published guidance. Improvements were needed to clinicians` knowledge of current evidence-based practice and guidance. Medicines and prescriptions were not managed in line with current guidance. Patients were treated with dignity and respect and at the time of our assessment, could access care, support and treatment when required. The practice had 3 treatment rooms. During the assessment we spoke with the 2 principal dentists, 1 qualified dental nurse, 2 trainee dental nurses, 1 dental hygienist and the receptionist. The provider was not complying with all regulations. Full details of the regulations the provider was not meeting are within the quality statement section of the report. In instances where CQC have decided to take civil or criminal enforcement action against a provider, we will publish this information on our website after any representations and appeals have been concluded. We have asked the provider for an action plan in response to the concerns found at this assessment.

People's experience of this service

Two weeks before our onsite assessment, we asked the practice to encourage patients to share their views of the service with us. We received feedback from 6 patients. On the day of our assessment, we collected patient feedback from a further 8 patients. Patient feedback provided a positive view of the dental team and care provided by the practice. Comments included, the dentist is ‘very reassuring and knowledgeable’, ‘never had issues over the last 20+ years’, I ‘always found the staff to be courteous and professional’ and ‘reception is well informed’. Patients commented positively about the standards of cleanliness. Patients felt able to book appointments within an acceptable timescale for their needs and said they had enough time during their appointment without feeling rushed. One patient told us, ‘I am reminded of my appointments ahead’. Most patients told us they were given clear information to help them make an informed choice about their treatment. However, some people felt that the information given about cost of the treatment was not always clear. While the people we received feedback from expressed that they were generally happy with their care, our assessment found there were regulations that were not met.