Miss S. P. Meads & Associates Dental Practice

We carried out this announced focused inspection on 14 February 2023 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 specialist dental advisor.

To get to the heart of patients’ experiences of care and treatment, the following 3 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:

• The dental clinic appeared clean and well-maintained.
• The practice had infection control procedures which did not reflect published guidance.
• Staff knew how to deal with medical emergencies. Appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment were available. This required some improvements.
• The practice had systems to manage risks for patients, staff, equipment, and the premises.
• Safeguarding processes required improvement as not all the information was available. We were assured staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
• The practice had staff recruitment procedures which did not reflect current legislation.
• Clinical staff provided patients’ care and treatment in line with current guidelines.
• Patients were treated with dignity and respect. Staff took care to protect patients’ privacy and personal information.
• Staff provided preventive care and supported patients to ensure better oral health.
• The appointment system worked efficiently to respond to patients’ needs.
• The frequency of appointments was agreed between the dentist and the patient, giving due regard to National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines.
• Staff felt involved, supported, and worked as a team.
• Staff and patients were asked for feedback about the services provided.
• Complaints were dealt with positively and efficiently.
• The practice had information governance arrangements.

Background

Miss S P Meads and Associates Dental Practice is in Chatham and provides NHS and private dental care and treatment for adults and children.

There is step free access to the practice for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. Car parking spaces, including dedicated parking for disabled people, are available near the practice. The practice has made reasonable adjustments to support patients with access requirements.

The dental team includes 3 dentists, 3 registered dental nurses, 2 trainee dental nurses, a dental hygienist, and a practice manager. Reception duties are shared by the dental nursing staff. The practice has 3 treatment rooms.

During the inspection we spoke with a dentist, 3 dental nurses, the dental hygienist, and the practice manager. We looked at practice policies, procedures, and other records to assess how the service is managed.

The practice is open:

• Monday to Thursday 9am to 5pm
• Friday 9am to 4pm
• The practice is closed for lunch Monday to Thursday between 1pm to 2pm and 1.30pm to 2pm on Friday.

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

• Care and treatment must be provided in a safe way for service users.
• Systems or processes must be established and operated effectively to ensure compliance with the requirements of the fundamental standards as set out in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014.

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 Faculty of General Dental Practice.