Archived: Mydentist - Cowick Street - Exeter Also known as mydentist

We carried out this announced inspection on 7 July 2021 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 Care Quality Commission, (CQC), inspector who was supported by a specialist dental adviser.

To get to the heart of patients’ experiences of care and treatment, we asked the following three questions:

• Is it safe?

• Is it effective?

• 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 this practice was providing safe care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Are services effective?

We found this practice was providing effective care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Are services well-led?

We found this practice was providing well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Background

Mydentist – Cowick Street – Exeter provides NHS domiciliary dental care to Exeter and the surrounding areas.

The domiciliary dental team includes two dentists and two dental nurses. They are part of a wider staff team at the practice. There is also a practice manager.

The practice is owned by a company and as a condition of registration must have a person registered with the CQC as the registered manager. Registered managers 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 registered manager at Mydentist – Cowick Street - Exeter is the practice manager.

During the inspection we spoke with the nurses who support the dentists on the domiciliary visits. We also spoke with the practice manager and the regulatory officer. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.

The domiciliary service runs six days a week. Patients are signposted to other urgent dental providers when the service is not running.

Our key findings were:

• The provider had infection control procedures which reflected published guidance.
• 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.
• The provider had safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
• The provider had staff recruitment procedures which reflected current legislation.
• Some staff training was identified as overdue.
• The clinical staff provided patients’ care and treatment in line with current guidelines.
• Staff provided preventive care and supported patients to ensure better oral health.
• The appointment system took account current Covid safety management protocols.
• The provider had effective leadership and a culture of continuous improvement.
• Staff felt involved and supported and worked as a team.
• The provider asked staff and patients for feedback about the services they provided.
• The provider had information governance arrangements.

There was an area where the provider could make improvements. They should:

• Implement practice protocols and procedures to ensure staff are up to date with their mandatory training and their continuing professional development.