Archived: Kent Dental Spa

Updated 10 March 2016

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the practice was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

We carried out an announced, comprehensive inspection on 22 January 2016. The inspection took place over one day and was led by a CQC inspector. They were accompanied by a dental specialist advisor.

During our inspection visit we spoke with four members of staff including the principal dentist, dental nurse, practice manager and receptionists. We carried out a tour of the practice and looked at the maintenance of equipment and storage arrangements for emergency medicines. We asked the dental nurse to demonstrate how they carried out decontamination procedures of dental instruments.

Twenty-nine people provided feedback about the service. Patients were positive about the care they received from the practice. They were complimentary about the friendly and caring attitude of the dental staff.

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 therefore formed the framework for the areas we looked at during the inspection.

Updated 10 March 2016

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 22 January 2016

to ask the practice the following key questions; Are services safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led?

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

Kent Dental Spa is located near Bromley, in south east London. The practice consists of two treatment rooms, a waiting room, decontamination area, reception area and patient toilet with all the facilities situated on the ground floor. The practice is purpose built and has wheelchair access and parking to the front of the building.

The practice provides private dental treatment only to children and adults. The practice offers a range of dental treatments such as routine examinations, general dental treatments, orthodontics, oral hygiene care, and restorative treatments such as veneers, crowns, bridges and implants.

The practice is open with reception cover Monday –Wednesday 9.00am - 7.30pm, Friday 9am-5pm and Saturday 9am-4pm and is clinically operational Monday-Wednesday 2pm-7.30, Friday 9am-12.30pm and Saturday 9am-4pm. The staff structure consists of a principal dentist, part-time associate dentist, part-time orthodontist dental nurse, practice manager, receptionist and hygienist.

The principal dentist is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) as an individual. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the practice is run.

The inspection took place over one day and was carried out by a CQC inspector and a dental specialist advisor.

We received 26 CQC comment cards completed by patients and spoke with three patients during our inspection visit. Patients we spoke with, and those who completed comment cards, were positive about the care they received from the practice. They were complimentary about the friendly attitude of the staff, the treatment they had received and told us they were able to access appointments easily.

Our key findings were:

• Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned in line with current guidance such as from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

• There were effective systems in place to reduce and minimise the risk and spread of infection.

• The practice had effective safeguarding processes in place and staff understood their responsibilities for safeguarding adults and children living in vulnerable circumstances.

• Equipment, such as the air compressor, autoclave (steriliser), fire extinguishers, and X-ray equipment had all been checked for effectiveness and had been regularly serviced.

• Patients indicated that they felt they were listened to and that they received good care from a helpful and caring practice team.

• The practice had implemented clear procedures for managing comments, concerns or complaints.

• The practice manager had a clear vision for the practice and staff told us they were well supported by the management team.

• Governance arrangements and audits were effective in improving the quality and safety of the services.