Artiste Studios - L'Orthodontiste

We carried out this announced focused inspection on 16 June 2022 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 practice 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 second CQC inspector and a specialist dental adviser.

To get to the heart of patients’ experiences of care and treatment,

we usually ask five key questions, however due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and to reduce time spent on site, only the following three questions were asked:

• 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:

• Safeguarding processes were in place and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
• 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 dental clinic was visibly clean; however, improvements were needed to the storage arrangements for cleaning equipment.
• The practice did not have infection control procedures which reflected published guidance.
• The practice did not have effective arrangements for dealing with medical emergencies. Some of the emergency medicines and life-saving equipment were not available as per current national guidelines, and staff were unclear about emergency procedures. Following the inspection, the provider took timely action to rectify this and the medicines and equipment are now in place.
• The practice did not have effective systems to help them manage risk to patients and staff.
• There were ineffective systems to support continuous improvement.
• There were ineffective systems to ensure that staff were up to date with their training.
• The practice did not have staff recruitment procedures which reflected current legislation.
• Improvements were needed to the Information Governance policy to take account the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) 2018 requirements

• There was ineffective leadership and a lack of oversight for the day-to-day management of the service.
• Staff and patients were asked for feedback about the services provided.
• Staff generally worked as a team. However, improvements were needed to ensure that they were supported and involved in the delivery of care and treatment.
• The practice did not have adequate arrangements in place to respond to patients’ concerns and complaints.

The provider took immediate action and voluntarily closed the surgery for a temporary period to enable them to undertake urgent remedial actions.

Background

Artiste Studios L’Orthodontiste is in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham and provides private dental care and treatment for adults and children.

There is level access to the practice for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. Metered parking spaces are available near the practice and it is also located close to public transport services.

The dental team includes six dentists, three trainee dental nurses who perform dual roles as receptionists. The practice has two treatment rooms.

During the inspection we spoke with the principal dentist, and three trainee dental nurses. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.

The practice is open:

Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm

Saturdays by prior appointment

We identified regulations the provider was not complying with. They must:

• Ensure care and treatment is provided in a safe way to patients.
• Establish effective systems and processes to ensure good governance in accordance with the fundamental standards of care.
• Ensure persons employed in the provision of regulated activity receive the appropriate support, training, professional development, supervision and appraisal necessary to enable them carry out their duties

Full details of the regulations the provider was not meeting are at the end of this report.

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

• Implement audits for prescribing of antibiotic medicines taking into account the guidance provided by the College of General Dentistry.