The Covent Garden Dental Practice

We carried out this announced inspection on 09 September 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

The Covent Garden Dental Practice is in Westminster and provides private treatment to adults and children.

There is access for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs via a temporary ramp. Car parking spaces, including some for blue badge holders, are available near the practice.

The dental team includes ten dentists, six dental nurses, one trainee dental nurse, one dental hygienist, one dental hygiene therapist, two receptionists and two practice managers. The practice has four treatment rooms.

The practice is owned by a company and as a condition of registration must have a person registered with the Care Quality Commission 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 managers at The Covent Garden Dental Practice are the practice managers.

On the day of inspection, we collected 19 CQC comment cards filled in by patients and spoke with three other patients.

During the inspection we spoke with two dentists, two dental nurses, two receptionists and two practice managers. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.

The practice is open:

Monday 8:30am to 8:00pm

Tuesday 8:00am to 8:00pm

Wednesday 9:00am to 8:00pm

Thursday 9:00am to 8:00pm

Friday 9:00am to 5:00pm

Saturday 9:00am to 4:00pm

Our key findings were:

• The practice appeared clean and well maintained.
• 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, apart from the recommended medicine used to treat seizures (buccal midazolam).
• The provider had systems to help them manage risk to patients and staff.
• The provider had suitable safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children. However, some improvements were required in regards to training.
• The provider had thorough staff recruitment procedures. However, some improvements were required in regards to recording references.
• The clinical staff provided patients’ care and treatment in line with current guidelines.
• Staff treated patients with dignity and respect and took care to protect their privacy and personal information.
• Staff provided preventive care and supporting patients to ensure better oral health.
• The appointment system took account of patients’ needs.
• The provider had effective leadership and culture of continuous improvement.
• Staff felt involved and supported and worked well as a team.
• The provider asked staff and patients for feedback about the services they provided.
• The provider dealt with complaints positively and efficiently.
• The provider had suitable information governance arrangements.

There were areas where the provider could make improvements. They should:

• Take action to ensure the availability of medicines in the practice to manage medical emergencies taking into account the guidelines issued by the British National Formulary and the General Dental Council.
• Improve the practice's systems for assessing, monitoring and mitigating the various risks arising from the undertaking of the regulated activities. In particular in regards to a fire risk assessment..